President Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive in Tel Aviv. They are flanked by Israel’s president and prime minister and their spouses. (Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images) 
 
 If public appearances by a president and first lady are political theater, first lady Melania Trump and her husband, President Trump, miiight want to work on their choreography. 
 
 A brief moment caught on camera during the first couple’s arrival at the Tel Aviv airport appears to show the president reaching behind him for his wife’s hand — and she seemingly swatting it away. Or maybe, upon close inspection of the footage, perhaps she just missed grabbing his outstretched hand, like a trapeze artist flubbing the catch. 
 
 Rebuffed, POTUS smooths his tie. 
 
 The couple’s efforts at hand-holding have long fascinated White House watchers. (“Donald Trump ‘avoids holding Melania’s hand in public because he wants to look like a presidential alpha,’ says body language expert,” was the headline of a Daily Mail story from February.) Others tagged videos of the botched attempt at hand-holding with the hashtag #FreeMelania. 
 
 This latest bit of awkwardness, even if it was just a meaningless goof, is likely to just give such narratives, uh, legs. ||||| There was no husband-wife hand-holding as President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, arrived Tel Aviv, Israel, on Monday, the second stop on their eight-day tour to five countries. 
 
 As the Trumps walked away from Air Force One on the Israeli tarmac, the president was seen reaching for his wife’s hand. She then appeared to be swatting the president’s hand away. Israeli newspaper Haaretz shared a clip of the moment on Twitter, and it has since gone viral. 
 
 Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images 
 
 The moment comes not long after the first lady’s verified personal Twitter account liked a tweet about her dramatic change in facial expressions at the inauguration when she smiled, then scowled, after the president glanced in her direction. In his anti-Trump tweet, writer Andy Ostroy joked: “Seems the only #Wall @realDonaldTrump‘s built is the one between him and @FLOTUS #Melania #trump.” 
 
 The tweet was un-liked after Twitter caught on, and Melania’s communications director, Stephanie Grisham, later told PEOPLE “The First Lady wasn’t aware of any of this until I brought it to her attention. It isn’t her primary account and we have since changed the passwords.” 
 
 RELATED VIDEO: Exclusive: Natasha Stoynoff Speaks Out: ‘I Don’t Want Women to Feel Afraid’ 
 
 Just ahead of the president’s overseas tour – his first foreign trip as president – the first lady announced her plans to join. 
 
 “I am very excited for the upcoming trip,” the first lady said in a statement. “This will not just be an opportunity to support my husband as he works on important matters of national security and foreign relations, it will also be my honor to visit and speak with women and children from different countries, with different perspectives.” 
 
 After arriving in Israel, Monday, Trump became the first president to visit the Western Wall, reported CNN. 
 
 The first lady and Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, also prayed at the wall. ||||| Maybe Melania Trump, a woman who was once photographed for Vanity Fair forking a bowl of expensive necklaces as though they were spaghetti noodles, has more in common with the average American than we initially thought. Like the average American, it appears that she too, cannot stand her husband. 
 
 This afternoon in Tel Aviv, President Donald Trump reached for his wife’s hand. Rather than indulge him with human touch, the sort of human touch regular married people who like each other might engage in, the reluctant First Lady swatted his hand away. This wasn’t done backstage before an event, or in the privacy of a place where it was safe to assume there weren’t any cameras. No, Melania has grown bolder in her push to telegraph her disdain for Donald. She did it as she and her husband joined Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife in a photo op. She did it in front of a veritable United Nations of news cameras. She did it so the whole world could see. She doesn’t care if he’s embarrassed, and it completely rules. 
 
 And the whole world did see; within minutes, the moment had gone viral. With that swat, Melania had temporarily sated the public’s bottomless appetite to see President Trump denied what he wants in its most viscerally appealing manifestation. Trump wanted his wife to accept him, to join him in acting like a normal human couple for the cameras instead of an orb-fondling wannabe despot. Seeing tweets about a judge striking down an immigration ban, or watching a Trump surrogate make an ass of themselves on cable news just doesn’t taste as delicious to a victory-starved liberal as the image of a woman slapping Trump’s hand away. For the millions who continue to be horrified by the Trump era, there’s nothing more zeitgeisty in 2017 than Trump schadenfreude porn. And there’s nobody more well-positioned to deliver it than our Ice Queen First Lady. 
 
 This isn’t the first time Melania has denied Donald’s undersized hands the pleasure of human touch. In January, when the couple arrived in Washington for his inauguration, Donald tried to hold his wife’s hand just before completing the very scary task of going down a flight of stairs. Melania was not having it. 
 
 That move kicked off an inauguration weekend that, told from Melania’s perspective, would read like a novel about a tragically trapped princess, or a live-action Pepe Le Pew cartoon starring Melania as the cat. When the couple danced, Melania leaned away rigidly. In every public appearance, the impeccably dressed First Lady wore a veil of despair. Her husband often seemed to forget that she existed. When they kissed, they did not touch. Melania acted like a mascot of left-wing despair. 
 
 In the ensuing weeks, Melania’s public disdain for her husband only intensified. An US Weekly cover story declared that she was “secretly miserable” as First Lady, an account I must dispute since it’s always been obvious that she’s miserable. She skipped out on typical first lady duties when the prime minister of Japan visited. And a couple of weeks ago, whoever manages her verified Twitter account favorited a Tweet about how alienated the Trumps seem from each other. 
 
 All of this is occurring as Trump’s daughter Ivanka performs most of the non-romantic duties of First Lady, delivering speeches and posing for photos. In recent interviews, Ivanka’s even started putting on a strange Jackie O affect. If I were Melania, I’d find the whole thing irksome. 
 
 Critics will point out that Melania, of course, is no hero, and no saint. She’s the one who married Donald, and she can leave whenever she gets sick of living in a golden box in the sky and feeling sorry for herself. There are plenty of women whose lives are much more worse off thanks to the president, and plenty more whose lives would be worse off if not for the saving grace of checks and balances. But her public acting out provides a nice bit of levity for a time that often feels devoid of it; a lot of women would love the opportunity to swat Trump’s hand away. 
 
 Melania’s swats also serve to expose another Trump lie: when you’re a star, they don’t always let you do it. ||||| First Lady Melania Trump had another awkward hand-holding moment with husband Donald Trump on Tuesday as the first couple welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, to the White House for the Trump administration’s first state visit. 
 
 In footage captured by MSNBC and later dissected by Twitter users, Trump appears to make a subtle effort to hold his wife’s hand, first extending his pinky finger and then gently giving her hand a little shake before she finally places her hand his. 
 
 This isn’t the first time Mrs. Trump has appeared reluctant to hold her husband’s hand. In May, the first lady was caught on camera clearly swatting away her husband’s hand during a trip to Tel Aviv, Israel. Then in February, as the first lady and president departed the White House for a trip to Ohio, Trump once again tried but failed to make hand-to-hand contact with his wife. 
 
 On Tuesday, Twitter took note of the Trumps’ latest awkward hand-holding moment. 
 
 That moment when your wife resists holding your hand… PRICELESS. 🤣🤣 @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/hDpPddTv5C — BetsyBits (@BetsyBits) April 24, 2018 
 
 Trump attempts to hold Melania's hand at President Emmanuel Macron's arrival at the South Lawn: pic.twitter.com/NlBlcdZ29s — Braxton (@braxtonryn) April 24, 2018 
 
 Look at poor #Melania right hand trying to tell #Trump that he didn’t dig deep enough. — Sam (@SamMusaed) April 24, 2018 
 
 Trump's attempt to hold Melania's hand is EVERYTHING: pic.twitter.com/t7yqNGpJym — Braxton (@braxtonryn) April 24, 2018 
 
 Poor Melania, she loomed like she was holding back tears under her hat as she held Trump's hand — Daring Reporter (@DaringReporter) April 24, 2018 
 
 “Look at poor #Melania right hand trying to tell #Trump that he didn’t dig deep enough,” one tweeter joked. 
 
 “Poor Melania, she looked like she was holding back tears under her hat as she held Trump’s hand,” said another. 
 
 The first lady’s white, wide-brimmed hat was also lighting up Twitter on Tuesday. 
 
 JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty 
 
 The striking accessory stole the show as Mrs. Trump and French First Lady Brigitte Macron — both in white skirt suits — joined their husbands on the White House South Lawn for a military welcome ceremony. The first lady’s white suit is from the Michael Kors Collection and costs $2,195, according to CNN. The outlet said the hat was also from the Michael Kors Collection hat, but a new pool report says it seems that “Michael Kors is not taking credit for the hat.” 
 
 On Twitter, people compared the first lady’s hat look to those worn by Beyoncé in her “Formation” music video, Jude Law in The Young Pope and Kerry Washington in Scandal. 
 
 Melania with the Young Pope hat pic.twitter.com/PqwI4bqO9A — Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) April 24, 2018 
 
 How did Melania get Fanucci's hat? pic.twitter.com/ZFZJwazkYm — Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) April 24, 2018 
 
 Is Melania Trump’s white hat a symbol of morality like Olivia Pope’s? pic.twitter.com/JZRHL7iuOi — KOlive (@kmomonahan) April 24, 2018 
 
 Others noticed that while Brigitte Macron managed to expertly kiss both of her fellow first lady’s cheeks beneath the wide brim, President Trump had trouble making contact and settled on air kisses instead. 
 
 Hats off to Brigitte Macron, who just managed a flawless French two-cheek kiss under and around Melania Trump's enormous flat-brim hat. Which is gorgeous. — Anne Rumsey Gearan (@agearan) April 24, 2018 
 
 President Trump Kisses Melania Hat Gets in the Way April 24, 2018 Live Satellite News: https://t.co/bvKsFxG5PK via @YouTube — LiveSatelliteNews (@LiveSatNews) April 24, 2018 
 
 Melania's relationship tips: wear a wide-brimmed hat and your husband will never be able to kiss you pic.twitter.com/eVhzFFEulD — shannon carlin (@new_girl_friday) April 24, 2018 
 
 Joked one Twitter user: “Melania’s relationship tips: wear a wide-brimmed hat and your husband will never be able to kiss you.” ||||| >> This is our minute-by-minute live updates story. For Trump's first remarks in Israel, click here >> 
 
 skip - trump visits LIVE VIDEO 
 
 U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Israel on Monday. Ahead of a talk with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said he did not mention the word "Israel" in his meeting with Russian officials at the White House. Earlier, Trump said there's a "rare opportunity" to bring security to the region, defeat terror and create harmony and peace. Follow our live updates of the president's visit as it develops. 
 
 >> Get all updates on Trump's visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority: Download our free App, and Subscribe >> 
 
 skip - Trump visits Israel - only on desktop 
 
 12:05 A.M.: Trump: Arab leaders willing to take steps toward Israel if progress made with Palestinians 
 
 The Arab leaders U.S. President Donald Trump met with Sunday are willing to take steps toward Israel if the Israeli-Palestinian peace process makes progress, Trump told Israeli leaders Monday, a senior Israeli official told Haaretz. 
 
 Netanyahu shake hands after delivering press statements prior to an official dinner in Jerusalem on May 22, 2017. /AFP 
 
 Trump stressed that all the Arab leaders who were at the Riyadh summit, and especially Saudi King Salman, raised the Palestinian issue with him, the official said. They also told him they wanted to see progress on the peace process and expressed a willingness to help. (Barak Ravid) Read the full story 
 
 skip - Trump Says He Hopes to Achieve 'Toughest Deal of All': Israeli-Palestinian Peace 
 
 Trump Says He Hopes to Achieve 'Toughest Deal of All': Israeli-Palestinian Peace Haaretz.com / YouTube 
 
 11 P.M.: In Israel, Trump fits right in - if only he would stop talking about peace 
 
 Trump, in some not necessarily complimentary ways, is more “Israeli” than any of his predecessors. He’s brash and abrasive and arrogant. He often talks before thinking; is insensitive to others; doesn’t care for political correctness or for the sensitivities of minorities; believes that might makes right; detests international organizations and multilateralism, and doesn’t think much of Europe either. 
 
 The only trait Trump is showing that might jar with Israelis is his repeated insistence, amplified in Jerusalem, that peace is attainable and that he is the agent of its achievement. It is a declaration that was seen as naive and messianic and vaguely anti-Israeli when Obama dared make it, so it perplexes Israelis to hear Trump promote peace as a realistic option. (Chemi Shalev) Read the full story 
 
 10:40 P.M.: Give Ivanka Trump a break, she didn’t get the Western Wall wrong 
 
 When Ivanka Trump, a daughter and adviser of U.S. President Donald Trump, visited Jerusalem’s Western Wall on Monday, she left a note between its stones, as is traditional, and then tweeted out a photograph of herself, writing: “It was deeply meaningful to visit the holiest site of my faith and to leave a note of prayer.” 
 
 A few snarky readers of the first daughter’s Twitter feed corrected her, arguing that the holiest site is the Temple Mount, not the Kotel below it. But Trump deserves to win this round. (David B. Green) Read the full story 
 
 Ivanka Trump touches the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City, May 22, 2017. REUTERS/Heidi Levine/Pool 
 
 Keep updated: Sign up to our newsletter Email * Please enter a valid email address Sign up Please wait… Thank you for signing up. We've got more newsletters we think you'll find interesting. Click here Oops. Something went wrong. Please try again later. Try again Thank you, This email address has already registered for this newsletter. Close 
 
 9:20 P.M.: Parochial Israeli reception makes even vulgar President Trump look statesmanlike 
 
 Israel welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday with a provincially embarrassing display of provinciality. By the end of the reception at Ben-Gurion International Airport, even the U.S. president – a coarse, vulgar man with no sense of ceremony – looked statesmanlike, if not downright regal. He was surely in mild shock at what he had been through. (Yossi Verter) Read the full story 
 
 U.S. President Donald Trump places a note in a gap in the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City, May 22, 2017. RONEN ZVULUN/AFP 
 
 8:25 P.M.: Trump: Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement is "one of the toughest deals of all" 
 
 skip - melania hand 
 
 This caught our attention earlier on the tarmac 
 
 Well this is embarassing https://t.co/XaPL1AbCm5 pic.twitter.com/mumhuQHDFz — Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) May 22, 2017 
 
 Following his closed-doors meeting with Netanyahu, Trump says he is willing to cooperate on working toward renewing efforts on reaching an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. 
 
 Speaking alongside Netanyahu in a joint press conference, Trump adds in a reference to the peace agreement: "I've heard it's one of the toughest deals of all." He added, however, that he has "a feeling that we're going to get there eventually." 
 
 8:09 P.M.: The Netanyahus introduce their son Yair to the Trumps in front of the cameras ahead of delivering joint statements to the press 
 
 Moments earlier, Sara Netanyahu complains to Trump: "If we could only paint the walls" of their residence. 
 
 7:36 P.M.: Trump’s glaring omission of Russia - the bear in the Mideast room 
 
 The focus of much of Donald Trump’s swing though Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Palestinian territories has been on heroes and villains. But in the U.S. president's taxonomy of good and evil, there is one particularly glaring omission. (Bradley Burston) Read the full story 
 
 7:29 P.M.: Why Trump's Western Wall visit is actually bad news for the Israeli right 
 
 skip - Trump: issues with Iran brought Middle Eastern countries closer to Israel 
 
 In an attempt to apply symbolism to every step that Donald Trump takes on his short visit to Israel and the territories, Israeli politicians and the local media have made a major fuss of the fact that Trump is the first U.S. president to visit the Western Wall while in office. They even tried to make it out as some wonderful gesture to Israel and the Jewish people. 
 
 But it was nothing of the sort. (Anshel Pfeffer) Read the full story 
 
 MK Oren Hazan took a selfie with Trump. @oren_haz /twitter 
 
 7:16 P.M. Melania's slap down and 6 other awkward moments of Trump visit in Israel 
 
 From visible tension between Trump and the first lady to a shameless Israeli lawmaker’s selfie with the leader of the Free World, here are 7 moments that will make you cringe. (Judy Maltz) Read the full story 
 
 6:07 P.M. During remarks ahead of the meeting with Netanyahu, Trump said he did not mention the word "Israel" in his meeting with Russian officials at the White House. 
 
 "Just so that you know - I never mentioned the word Israel," Trump said. Netanyahu told the press that intelligence cooperation between the two countries was "excellent." 
 
 Trump also touched upon Iran, saying, “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, that I can tell you.” He added that Iran should be thanking America for getting a “great deal.” (Barak Ravid) Read the full story 
 
 >> Read more: Israel and Washington want to bury Trump’s leak. But the damage is done >> 
 
 4:24 P.M. Donald and Melania Trump arrive with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City. 
 
 Trump arrives at the Western Wall with his wife Melania Trump, daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner. In deference to Jewish religious custom, Trump and Kushner (Ivanka Trump's husband) part ways with them. Trump and Kushner visit the men’s prayer plaza, while the first lady and daughter visit the women’s section. 
 
 Wearing a skullcap, Trump slips a note with a prayer deep into the Western Wall. Accompanied by Kushner, Trump receives an explanation about the holy site from Mordechai Eliav, the director-general of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. 
 
 President Trump speaks to Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem as first lady Melania stands with them at the entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City JONATHAN ERNST/REUTERS 
 
 Ivanka Trump appears moved during the visit, as she wipes a tear from her cheek after touching the Western Wall. She seems to be deep in thought and prayer. Ivanka and First Lady Melania Trump receive an explanation from several Orthodox women. (Judy Maltz) Read the full story 
 
 4:04 P.M. The Foreign Ministry responds to the Hazan-Trump selfie scandal 
 
 The Foreign Ministry says Knesset Member Oren Hazan, who took an unauthorized selfie with Trump upon his arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, wasn't among the A-list politician invited to shake the U.S. president's hand at the reception. "The Foreign Ministry only invited A-list staff, meaning the State of Israel's most senior figures," Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said. "Unfortunately a few people who weren't on the list of senior staff snuck into the line of hand-shakers and refused to leave despite being asked to do so by the Foreign Ministry." (Barak Ravid) 
 
 skip - Sara Netanyahu to Melania Trump Majority of Israelis love us, unlike the media 
 
 3:29 P.M. Trump visits the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He is the first sitting president to visit Jerusalem’s Old City (Judy Maltz) 
 
 3:22 P.M. Arab scouts to skip Trump event after police demand removal of their Palestinian-flag emblems (Judy Maltz) 
 
 US President Donald Trump, left, meets with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Monday, May 22, 2017, in Jerusalem. Evan Vucci/AP 
 
 3:05 P.M. In his remarks following his meeting with Rivlin, Trump lauded Israel as an "amazing country… what you've done perhaps virtually has never been done before" 
 
 skip - This is what happened when MK Oren Hazan took a selfie with Trump 
 
 "Shalom," he said. "I am awed by the beauty and majesty of this sacred land." 
 
 Trump accused Iran of fomenting "terrible violence" and said that Israel and the U.S. agree that Iran must never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons and should be forced to cease funding terrorism. He further said that there's a growing realization among Israel's Arab neighbors regarding the threat posed by Iran. 
 
 He thanked Rivlin and Netanyahu for their commitment to peace with the Palestinians, and said he wants to build stronger trade ties with Israel. 
 
 3:00 P.M. Following Trump and Rivlin's meetings, the two delivered remarks 
 
 Rivlin said that "we're happy to see America is back in the region. America is back." He said Israel will do everything in its power to assist the U.S. in its commitment to fight ISIS, and expressed appreciation for the U.S. strike on an Syrian airbase in April. 
 
 President Donald Trump speaks during a welcome ceremony in Tel Aviv, May 22,2017, accompanied by Israel's President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Oded Balilty/AP 
 
 skip - Trump's full opening speech upon his arrival to Israel 
 
 The Jewish people returned to the historic homeland after 2000 years of exile. We created a miracle… In our most difficult times, we never gave up on our dream of living here in peace with our neighbors." 
 
 Rivlin stressed the importance of distancing Iran from Israel's borders. "We want to move forward," he said. "We must do it together with America." 
 
 2:37 P.M. Trump's Secretary of State Rex Tillerson refuses to say Western Wall is in Israel (Amir Tibon) 
 
 2:36 Bannon, Priebus skip out on Trump's Israel visit, fly home to handle political crisis (Amir Tibon) 
 
 2:33 P.M. Israeli media welcomes Trump with English headlines and editorials (Judy Maltz) 
 
 2:30 P.M. Trump the Impossible. Trump the Asteroid 
 
 There's a theory that it would take an event as impossibly unlikely, as humanly uncontrollable, as potentially cataclysmic as an asteroid striking the earth, for Israelis and Palestinians to be able to make peace, writes Bradley Burston. 
 
 2:15 P.M. Trump meets with Rivlin 
 
 Trump tells Rivlin that "what happened in Iran has turned other parts of the Middle East toward Israel," noting that these countries "were not feeling so well about Israel not so long ago." 
 
 He said there's a "great feeling" for peace in the Middle East, and that people "have had enough of the bloodshed and the killing." He said that he expects to have "interesting talks" while in Israel. 
 
 Rivlin told Trump that "we've been waiting and praying for peace … and hope someone will bring it." 
 
 2:07 Trump arrives at the President's Residence in Jerusalem 
 
 U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania with Trump sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L), his wife Sara at Ben Gurion International Airport in Lod near Tel Aviv, Israel May 22, 2017. AMIR COHEN/REUTERS 
 
 2:00 P.M. Melania Trump and Sara Netanyahu's private exchange 
 
 Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israel’s prime minister, probably had not intended her words for mass consumption. But an informal exchange between the American and Israeli leaders and their spouses, caught on camera after the welcoming ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport, said a lot about how she and her husband view the media – and themselves. 
 
 “Also us, the press hates and the public loves,” she confided in Melania Trump, the first lady of the United States. This was preceded by the Trump and Netanyahu sharing how much their wives liked one another. (Judy Maltz) 
 
 skip - Netanyahu greets President Trump upon his arrival 
 
 1:30 P.M. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan tells Trump that there may have been a terror attack in Tel Aviv earlier on Monday - an hour and a half after police declared the incident was a car accident. 
 
 1:20 P.M. During the reception for Trump, Education Minister Naftali Bennett told the president that in honor of Jerusalem's 50th anniversary of unification, "we expect you to be the first president who recognizes united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty." Trump looked at Netanyahu and remarked, "That's an idea" 
 
 1:15 P.M. Knesset Member Oren Hazan repeatedly tries to take a selfie with Trump. Netanyahu tries to push Hazan's hand away. 
 
 1:05 P.M. Trump makes remarks on the tarmac: "On my first trip overseas as president, I have come to this sacred and ancient land to reaffirm unbreakable bond between us and Israel." 
 
 "In this land so rich in history, Israel has built one of the world's greatest civilizations, a strong resilient determined prosperous nation, forged in the commitment that will never allow horrors of last century to be repeated," he said. 
 
 Trump said he met with leaders from across the Arab world and reached "historic agreements" in fights against terror. He said there's a "rare opportunity" to bring security to the region, defeat terror and create harmony and peace, but said "We can only get there working together, there is no other way." 
 
 U.S. President Donald Trump signs the guest book at the President's Residence in Jerusalem on May 22, 2017. 
 
 He concluded by saying "We love Israel, we respect Israel" and conveying warm greetings from the American people. Read the full text 
 
 1:00 P.M. Netanyahu to President Trump: Israel shares your commitment to peace and reaches out its hand to the Palestinians 
 
 Palestinian men hold a banner bearing a portrait of US President Donald Trump (L) and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas (R) at a printer's in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, on May 21, 2017, ahead o MUSA AL SHAER/AFP 
 
 Netanyahu said Trump's visit "is truly historic": "Never before has the first foreign trip of the president of the United States included a visit to Israel." He thanked Trump for his "powerful expression of your friendship to Israel." 
 
 He said Israel has been fighting terrorism and protecting members of all faiths, "Christians, Muslims, everyone," while Christians are being prosecuted elsewhere in the Middle East. 
 
 "Israel shares you commitment to peace, we've already made peace with Egypt Jordan," he said. "Israel's hand is extended in peace to all our neighbors, including the Palestinians. We seek genuine, durable peace in which Jewish state is recognized, security remains in Israel's hands, conflict ends once and for all." 
 
 He expressed hope one day an "Israeli prime minister will be able to fly from Tel Aviv to Riyadh." Read the full text 
 
 12:50 P.M. President Rivlin welcomes Trump in a speech on the Tarmac 
 
 "Your visit is a symbol of the unbreakable bond between Israel and America," Rivlin said. "You are the President of Israel’s greatest, most important ally. You are a true friend of Israel, and of the Jewish people." 
 
 "Mr. President, the world needs a strong United States. The Middle East needs a strong United States. Israel needs a strong United States. And – may I say – the United States also needs a strong Israel... " 
 
 
 
 "Mr. President, today I will have the honor to host you in Jerusalem. We are honored to have you here with us, as we mark fifty years of ‘Jerusalem Day’, Yom Yerushalayim. It makes us very happy to know that Israel’s most important ally recognizes the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish People. Jerusalem is the beating heart of the Jewish People: as it has been for 3000 years." 
 
 "Mr. President. You came here to Israel from Saudi Arabia. In Jerusalem, you will be at the Western Wall, and visit the holy Church, and then you are going to the Vatican. In just one journey you will visit the three holiest places for Islam, Judaism and Christianity. We each have different beliefs – but we all worship the same God. We can work together towards a better future. We shall continue to do so, together. Welcome to Israel. God bless you. God bless America. God bless Israel." (Barak Ravid) 
 
 12:44 The American and Israeli national anthems play on the tarmac 
 
 12:41 Trump is greeted by Israeli leaders upon descending from Air Force One 
 
 As he landed, Trump shook hands with Israeli President Rivlin and his wife Nechama, Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife Sara, Israeli ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, and then reached the new U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, who worked for Trump as a lawyer for many years. "Who is this guy? You work out here now?" Trump asked with a smile, and then told Friedman that he "got what he wanted." 
 
 Trump then asked Friedman's wife, Kim, "are you proud of your man?" (Amir Tibon) 
 
 12:40 P.M. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner descend from Air Force One 
 
 12:22 P.M. Trump touches down in Israel 
 
 12:20 P.M. Fake Trump interviewed by Israel's Army Radio 
 
 A radio prankster pretending to be U.S. President Donald Trump succeeded on Monday to secure an interview for himself on a prime-time show on Israel's Army Radio. The prankster went on the air on a popular show hosted by Erel Segal and was interviewed for 90 seconds before the radio station's staff realized they have been duped. (Haaretz) 
 
 12:11 P.M. Trump visits Israel: 9 Must-read features and analyses 
 
 12:06 P.M. Thousands of security forces deployed, roads closed minutes before Trump lands 
 
 Thousands of Israeli police, border police and volunteers deployed throughout Jerusalem for Trump's arrival as main roads will be blocked off, including large portions of Highway 1 and Highway 6. Police told the public to use the navigation application Waze when driving in the area, saying that it would plan routes in consideration of the closed roads and heavy-traffic areas. (Yaniv Kubovitch) 
 
 11:43 A.M. Several lightly hurt, including pedestrians, in car crash in central Tel Aviv 
 
 1:27 A.M. White House welcomes Israeli economic measures designed to benefit Palestinians 
 
 The White House praised Israel's decision to implement economic measures designed for Palestinians in the West Bank, including permits for thousands of homes in Area C, where Israel has total civil and security control. 
 
 "President Trump welcomes an Israeli decision to implement a series of measures designed to begin improving both the Palestinian economy and the quality of life for the Palestinian public," the White House said in a statement. (Barak Ravid) 
 
 11:05 A.M. Trump visits Israel: Here's his full schedule for day one 
 
 10:11 A.M. Donald Trump departs Saudi Arabia for Israel 
 
 10:04 A.M. Donald Trump's visit to Israel: Eight must-read opinions 
 
 U.S. President Donald Trump's trip to Israel has been met with both excitement and trepidation, and has everyone speculating about he will do and what he should try to achieve during his visit. Here are eight must-read opinions from Haaretz's writers. 
 
 9:33 A.M. The explosive history of the Jerusalem hotel hosting Trump 
 
 It could never be confused with a Trump property: It lacks the glitz and the gold plating, not to mention the height. But there was never any doubt that when he pulled into Jerusalem on Monday, Donald Trump would be lodging at the King David Hotel. Even as the competition for the dollars of luxury travelers increases – with the addition just during the past decade of both the Mamilla Hotel and the Waldorf Astoria, both within walking distance of the 87-year-old King David – it’s still clear that the latter is the capital’s premier hostelry. (David B. Green) 
 
 9:21 A.M. Who's behind the dozens of pro-Trump billboards around Jerusalem? 
 
 When Trump arrives in Jerusalem, huge billboards proclaiming “Trump is a Friend of Zion” and requesting “Trump Make Israel Great” will greet him. 
 
 It will be hard for the American leader to avoid them. Altogether, 42 billboards featuring intertwined Israeli and American flags have been erected around the city at a total cost of $100,000. 
 
 So who’s behind this big campaign? The billboards bear the name Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, but in fact, the initiative is really the brainchild of one man – Mike Evans, the founder of this institution and among the first Christian evangelical leaders to declare his support for Trump's presidential run. (Judy Maltz) 
 
 9:19 A.M. In Bethlehem, Palestinians confident Trump's one-hour visit 'won't change anything' 
 
 Like the Palestinian government, which has been positively surprised by some recent statements from the Trump administration, social activists have also taken a relatively positive view of the visit. Nimala Kharoufeh, a member of the Fatah youth movement and the founder of nearby Beit Jala’s Beit Ashams community center, focused on comments that have raised some hopes locally, such as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s mention of the importance of Palestinian self-determination. However, her take following the speech is “unchanged,” she said. “I feel really positive, not that I have high expectations, but I’m positive about this visit. Not moving this embassy to Jerusalem is another positive step, so nothing in the speech changed my position.” (Noga Tarnopolsky, Bethlehem) 
 
 9:15 A.M. Jerusalem braces for Trump's visit 
 
 The hospitality sector in Israel has geared up for the arrival on Monday of U.S. President Donald Trump and his sizeable entourage, as well as the press corps coming to cover the visit. 
 
 The Israel Airports Authority has asked people using Ben-Gurion International Airport around midday on Monday and Tuesday afternoon, when he will be departing, to get to the airport early and be in touch with their airlines regarding possible changes in flight times. 
 
 International flights on low-cost carriers that normally use Terminal 1 are being transferred to Terminal 3 until early Wednesday morning. Domestic flights from the airport to Eilat will operate normally. Trump’s presence will also be disrupting highway traffic and security will be particularly tight. (Gili Melnitcki) 
 
 9:14 A.M. Harness Trump’s determination to attain the ultimate Middle East deal 
 
 If the Israeli government truly seeks peace as it claims, it must harness Trump’s determination in order to bravely draft its path to a diplomatic solution. The Israeli right is torn between the annexationist wing and the wing that believes the only solution is the division of the country one way or another. Those who oppose annexation, most of the nation, must take advantage of Trump’s special temperament by joining together to say no to the annexationist right and opening a new chapter in the Middle East. (Haaretz Editorial) 
 
 9:09 A.M. As Trump leaves Saudis for Israel and Palestinians, Kushner moves center stage 
 
 The visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority could be the perfect opportunity for Jared Kushner to take the stage and increase his involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian file. But in order for that to happen, the president's arguably closest adviser will need to find time in an increasingly packed schedule, a schedule that could become even tighter if the recent rumors and allegations connecting him to the investigation into Trump's ties with Russia turn out to be true. (Amir Tibon) 
 
 9:03 A.M. After Riyadh speech, Trump comes to Israel as a messianic opportunist 
 
 Donald Trump changed America’s standing in the Middle East on Sunday, perhaps historically. He reversed eight years of foreign policy carried out by his predecessor, Barack Obama. He positioned himself as champion of Saudi Arabia and Sunni Islam and as chief adversary of Iran and the Shia. He embraced the kingdoms, sheikdoms, dictatorships, military regimes and popular democratic republics of political Islam and absolved them of the human rights and democratic mumbo-jumbo that Obama used to torment them with. Like Benjamin Netanyahu before him, Trump is now Mr. Terror, a leader for whom all other considerations are subordinate to the fight against it. (Chemi Shalev) 
 
 9:00 A.M. Israel isn’t a bling nation that can impress Trump. And that’s a good thing 
 
 It’s usually easy for Israel to put on a good show for the intelligent statesman on his first visit. For a start, they can take him to one of the high-tech hubs and present a few snazzy start-ups. There’s even one right next to the makeshift helipad at First Station. But one can imagine Trump’s eyes glazing over minutes into the explanation of any cutting-edge innovation. Even the sums of money made in high-tech exits are unlikely to impress an old-fashioned businessman who made (and lost) billions through tangible real estate and glitzy branding. Just the very idea of making a profit out of ideas is alien. The closest he ever got to selling ideas was the Trump University scam. (Anshel Pfeffer) 
 
 8:58 A.M. Trump plans to shower Israel with love, but it might be a honey trap for Netanyahu 
 
 The visit to Jerusalem is important to both Trump and Netanyahu for the same reason. Both want to show that the tensions that characterized the U.S.-Israeli relationship during Barack Obama’s eight years in office are over. Both want the public parts of the visit to be full of symbolic gestures, photo-ops and expressions of incredible friendship, that will leave no doubt as to the state of bilateral relations – the complete opposite of the Obama era. 
 
 But the love with which Trump will envelope Netanyahu during the visit could turn out to be a honey trap for the premier. Netanyahu could find hints of this during Trump’s speech in Saudi Arabia, which he delivered just as the security cabinet was being convened to approve a package of economic concessions for the Palestinians. If Netanyahu had left the security cabinet meeting to watch Trump’s speech he would have been delighted. (Barak Ravid) 
 
 8:30 A.M. - Fuming Netanyahu orders ministers to attend Trump's reception after most refuse to show up 
 
 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has required all cabinet ministers to attend the reception ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Monday. A senior Israeli official said that Netanyahu issued his instructions after finding out that most ministers were not planning on attending the event. 
 
 During a Sunday meeting of coalition heads, Netanyahu was notified that there would be a sparse attendance of ministers at the reception and that most party heads wouldn't participate in it. Netanyahu was furious and blew up the meeting, a senior official who attended the meeting said. Immediately afterwards, the Prime Minister's Bureau issued an instruction to all government ministers according to which they must participate in the airport reception. (Barak Ravid) 
 
 7:00 A.M. - Behind the Scenes of the Trump Administration's Tug-of-war Over the Israel Embassy Move 
 
 Keep the embassy in Tel Aviv or move it to Jerusalem? The issue has turned into a fierce struggle between Trump's advisers and his top cabinet members. He has until June 1 to decide. Barak Ravid has all the inside information. 
 
 6:45 A.M. - These are the voices whispering in Trump’s ear about Israel and how to make the 'ultimate deal' 
 
 Lacking a clear and consistent policy to go on, many observers are looking for clues by examining what the president’s advisers on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process are calling for. And while most U.S. administrations in recent decades have housed different schools of thought, the diverse range of opinions in the Trump administration seems truly extraordinary. 
 
 So who are the people advising the 45th president on Israel, and what are they telling him? Here’s a list from both inside and outside the administration. ||||| First lady Melania Trump was interviewed by ABC News Chief National Affairs correspondent Tom Llamas on Oct. 5, 2018, at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi, Kenya. The following is a transcript of the ABC News special, "Being Melania -- The First Lady," which aired on Oct. 12, 2018. 
 
 Act 1: 
 
 Play 
 
 TERRY MORAN: In Washington, people really don't know her like they know most first ladies. 
 
 JONATHAN KARL: She is the most private first lady that we have seen in the modern era. 
 
 SHE’S ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE FACES IN THE WORLD. 
 
 A STYLISH FIRST LADY -- A DEVOTED MOTHER. BUT BEYOND THAT, MELANIA TRUMP REMAINS -- FOR MANY AMERICANS -- AN ENIGMA. 
 
 ANITA MCBRIDE: She’s a person of few words. 
 
 TERRY MORAN: She has that quality of mystery. A little bit of distance, almost regal. 
 
 ONCE A PRIVATE WOMAN, NOW THE MOST DEEPLY PERSONAL DETAILS OF HER LIFE ON FULL DISPLAY. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Finish this sentence for me. "Melania Trump is ..." 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Ooh, that's so many stuff. A mother. A wife. A daughter. A sister. A friend. The first lady of United States. Caring. Compassionate. Strong. Independent. Very detail-oriented. And -- staying true to herself. 
 
 WE SET OFF WITH MELANIA TRUMP ON HER FIRST SOLO TRIP ON THE WORLD STAGE -- FOR THE NEXT HOUR -- THE GROUND RULES WILL BE SIMPLE: NO TOPIC IS OFF LIMITS. 
 
 THIS SCENIC WILDLIFE PRESERVE IN KENYA SERVING AS THE BACKDROP FOR HER FIRST EXTENSIVE SIT DOWN SINCE BECOMING FIRST LADY. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Mrs. Trump, first off, when you look at this view out here in beautiful Kenya, is this one of the best parts about being first lady? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: It's one of the best parts, yes. But it's also, when I travel across the world and across the country and meeting people, and helping them as much as I can. 
 
 HER CHOICE OF AFRICA RAISING ITS OWN QUESTIONS. SHE ANNOUNCED HER TRIP AFTER HER HUSBAND THE PRESIDENT REPORTEDLY MADE DEROGATORY COMMENTS ABOUT AFRICAN COUNTRIES 
 
 [NEWS CLIPS] 
 
 [ENTERTAINMENT SHOW CLIP] 
 
 WHATEVER WORDS THE PRESIDENT MAY HAVE USED -- THE FIRST LADY ADMTS HIS POLITICS SOMETIMES MAKES HER JOB MORE DIFFICULT. 
 
 [NEWS CLIPS OF DONALD TRUMP] 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: What's the most surprising thing about being first lady for you? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: It's sad to see that -- organizations and foundations that I want to partner with choose not to because the of administration. And I feel they choosing the politics over helping others. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Can you give me any examples? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I would not talk about it. They know who they are. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: What would you say is the toughest part about being first lady? 
 
 MELANIA: Sometimes it's, you know, losing the privacy, that's maybe the part that you always under the microscope. And I cannot freely move anymore. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Give me an example of something that you could do before that now you can't do because you are first lady, as far as just everyday kind of living. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Well, before I could easily move, like, in a minute I could go somewhere. Now it's bigger production. You need to, wherever you go it's a big, big production. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: You know, our first, first lady, Martha Washington, famously said the role of first lady can sometimes feel like a state prisoner. Can you relate to that? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I don't feel like a prisoner. No. I enjoying it, and this will not last forever. And it's very special time. 
 
 LESS SPECIAL ARE THE CONSTANT HEADLINES THAT SPECULATE ON ALL THINGS MELANIA INCLUDING WHERE THE FIRST LADY LIVES TO HER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRESIDENT 
 
 SALLY QUINN: We've seen her swat his hand away at events. 
 
 CECILIA VEGA: She wore that pink pussy bow blouse to the debate, where Donald Trump was talking about Bill Clinton's accusers. She wore an all-white pantsuit to his first State of the Union that made it look like this was a message of solidarity to Hillary Clinton, who had championed the white pantsuit. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: What's been the worst thing you've had to read about yourself since you've been in the White House? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Well, it's all the things that people say, that I'm not happy in the White House , that I don't even live there. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: That was something that was published in a newspaper 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yes. Yes. And that I'm miserable in my marriage, that -- I'm out of touch. There are so many things. I don't know where to start. 
 
 BORN MELANIA KNAUSS IN 1970, IN A SMALL TOWN IN SLOVENIA SHE WORKED AS A FASHION MODEL IN ITALY AND FRANCE BEFORE MOVING TO NYC IN 1996. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, SHE MET A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER WITH BIG BUILDINGS AND AN EGO TO MATCH. 
 
 [ENTERTAINMENT CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP AND MELANIA TRUMP] 
 
 THE COUPLE SPOKE ABOUT IT WITH BARBARA WALTERS DURING HIS CAMPAIGN. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP WITH DONALD TRUMP AND MELANIA TRUMP] 
 
 THE MOGUL AND THE MODEL WOULD MARRY IN 2005 
 
 [NEWS CLIP WITH DONALD TRUMP AND MELANIA TRUMP] 
 
 BUT THE BILLIONAIRE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER ALWAYS TALKED OF BEING PRESIDENT AND MELANIA KNEW LONG AGO. HISDREAM COULD ONE DAY BECOME HER REALITY. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF MELANIA TRUMP] 
 
 LESS THAN 20 YEARS LATER, THAT FAMOUS ESCALATOR RIDE WOULD TAKE HER FROM HER FIFTH AVENUE PENTHOUSE ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: So these are photos 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yes. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: From your Twitter account. This is when you lived in New York before you were first lady. When you look at those photos now, I'd like you to see if you can go through them. When you see that person, that woman, what's different about the woman in those photos and the woman that is now sitting across from me? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: No difference 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: The same? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: The same. I'm staying true to myself. I want to live meaningful life. And that's the most important to me. I know what my priorities are. 
 
 And I'm focused on that. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: You’re looking at those photos. What do you think? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Interesting. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Yep. So, you loved your life in New York and in Trump Tower. Washington has been an adjustment. Have you made good friends in Washington? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I have the same group of friends I had before. And I always prefer quality over quantity. I have a small group of friends, and I stay in contact with them through the phone and text messages. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Do you find that Washington is a place that you couldn't make friends as far as trusting people? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Sometimes you need to be careful. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: There is a famous quote about making friends in Washington, right? When you come to Washington, something like that? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yes. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: If you wanna have a friend in Washington, buy a dog. 
 
 WHEN WE RETURN. 
 
 THE BLOWBACK FROM BEING MELANIA TRUMP 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: You think you're the most bullied person in the world??? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Well ... one of them. 
 
 AND 
 
 BREAKING HER SILENCE ABOUT HER HUSBANDS ALLEGED AFFAIR? 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Were you hurt? 
 
 COMING UP 
 
 Peter Nicholls/Reuters 
 
 Act 2: 
 
 Play 
 
 JON KARL: Melania Trump is the most fashion-forward, indeed, glamorous first lady we have seen since Jackie Kennedy. 
 
 BUT HOW WOULD A WOMAN -- SEEMINGLY MORE COMFORTABLE ON THE PAGES OF MAGAZINES AND IN PHOTO SHOOTS FIND HER PLACE IN THE PEOPLES HOUSE? 
 
 COKIE ROBERTS: She had the least preparation of any First Lady in our history, with a possible exception of Martha Washington. 
 
 CECILIA VEGA: She was really on the outside. She was a former fashion model, married to a billionaire businessman. 
 
 TERRY MORAN: Other first ladies have been governor's wives, senator's wives, general's wives. They've had years to prepare. This all came like a tornado at her. 
 
 THE JOB OF FIRST LADY COMES WITH NO SPECIFIC DUTIES. EACH DEFINING HER ROLE IN A UNIQUE AND PERSONAL WAY. 
 
 ABC NEWS GRANTED RARE ACCESS INSIDE MRS. TRUMP’S COMMAND CENTER. UNLIKE HER PREDECESSORS, IT’S A LEAN TEAM. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I have a team of 12. And they're very professional, and very neat team. I also oversee almost 100 people in the residence, and working closely with White House Historical Association to restoring the people's house. 
 
 STEPHANIE GRISHAM: Every event in the White House she oversees. The State Dinner, she took great care in everything from the menu, to the flowers. Easter egg roll. Many of the holiday events at the White House. 
 
 SHE’S MAINTANED A LOWER PROFILE THAN OTHER RECENT FIRST LADIES. SO FAR SHE’S HOSTED A SINGLE STATE DINNER BUT HER STAFF INSISTS SHE’S ENGAGED MORE THAN IT MAY APPEAR. 
 
 JONATHAN KARL: The first lady is expected by tradition to be out there to have a set list of causes. 
 
 FOR MELANIA TRUMP, THAT CAUSE IS “BE BEST” 
 
 [NEWS CLIP WITH MELANIA TRUMP] 
 
 TERRY MORAN: People like to get a sense that their First Lady's a leader of our values in some ways. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP WITH MELANIA TRUMP] 
 
 CECILIA VEGA: The irony is lost on no one. Here she is championing this anti-cyberbullying initiative. And she is the wife of perhaps, one of the most well-known cyberbullies on the planet. 
 
 ONLINE AND IN PERSON -- THE PRESIDENT CAN BE RUTHLESS. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP WITH DONALD TRUMP] 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: I've seen your speeches about Be Best. You make it a point to say adults have to set the example when it comes to Be Best and it comes to social media. Is it tough when your husband goes on Twitter, and he’s also been known to name call and be so aggressive and to bully. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I don't agree always what he posts. But his action is his action. And I tell him that. I will be hit with criticism to talking about cyberbullying. But it will not stop me to do what is right. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Did he ever tell you not to do cyber bullying? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: He didn't say not to do it. He understands that he’s very tough on Twitter. But he understands that I wanna help next generation, and the children. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP SAYS SHE KNOWS FIRST HAND WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE TARGETED. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: What happened to you personally, that you thought you wanted to tackle this issue? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I could say I'm the most bullied person on the world. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: You think you're the most bullied person in the world? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: One of them, if you really see what people saying about me. And sometimes, you know, people would not say to you face to face, but they hiding behind the keyboards. And that's the danger. That's why I'm involved and focusing social media, for the next generation. Because not everybody has a thick skin and they cannot handle it. And we have a big problem in United States and across the world. 
 
 CRITICS SAY THE BE BEST INITIATIVE AMOUNTS TO LITTLE MORE THAN A SLOGAN. BUT LAST WEEK, SHE TOOK THAT MESSAGE GLOBAL. 
 
 TOURING THE CONTINENT THE FIRST LADY VISITS CHILDREN FIGHTING THE HEAT AND POVERTY AT A SCHOOL IN MALAWI 
 
 SHE DELIVERED TEXTBOOKS AND SOCCER BALLS 
 
 BUT ECLIPSING SOME OF THE GOODWILL OF HER TRIP, WAS *THIS* 
 
 [NEWS CLIPS] 
 
 THEN-- IN EGYPT -- THE FIRST LADY TURNED ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE WORD INTO HER OWN PERSONAL RUNWAY. 
 
 STEPHANIE GRISHAM: For the most part, she chooses her own clothes. She wore a safari hat on safari. 
 
 TERRY MORAN: It was like she was posing for a Hollywood movie. There’s style and there’s costume. And it looked like she was wearing a costume. 
 
 POSING FOR PHOTOS? NO PROBLEM BUT WHEN SHE’S ASKED ABOUT THOSE OUTFITS? THAT IS APPARENTLY OFF LIMITS. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP WITH MELANIA TRUMP] 
 
 COMING UP 
 
 THERE WAS ONE OUTFIT WE HAD TO ASK ABOUT: THE SEEN ROUND THE WORLD [ENTERTAINMENT CLIP] 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Let’s talk about the jacket. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: The Jacket 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Why did you wear it? 
 
 NEXT 
 
 Win McNamee/Getty Images, FILE 
 
 Act 3: 
 
 Play 
 
 Looming large over Melania Trump’s trip to Africa -- the elephant in the room -- those alleged derogatory comments from her husband: 
 
 [NEWS CLIP] 
 
 Jon Karl: It was a meeting with members of Congress. And some of them spoke about what the president said. This wasn't exactly anonymous sources. 
 
 Melania Trump -- herself an immigrant -- also caught up in the middle of another immigrant flashpoint -- and this time it’s a family affair -- her husband’s opposition to so-called “chain migration.” 
 
 [NEWS CLIP] 
 
 A disaster? Melania Trump’s parents -- recently naturalized -- just benefited from the same chain migration their son-in-law denounces. 
 
 [GOOD MORNING AMERICA CLIP] 
 
 Tom Llamas: Your parents became citizens through family-based immigration. Your husband has called that chain migration. He wants that to end. Where do you stand? 
 
 Melania Trump: I believe in the policies that my husband put together. Because I believe that we need to be very vigilant who is coming to the country. 
 
 Tom Llamas: But do you think people should be able to bring in their mother and their father? 
 
 Melania Trump: Yes, of course. But they -- we need to -- we need to vet them. We need to know who they are. 
 
 Tom Llamas: Have you told your husband this? 
 
 Melania Trump: Yes, of course. 
 
 Tom Llamas: And what does he say? 
 
 Melania Trump: He agrees. 
 
 But if that’s the case -- that’s something the president has never publicly outlined: 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP] 
 
 Tom Llamas: It sounds like what your husband says on immigration to the crowds, on Twitter, is different than the conversations you and him have. How do you sort of reconcile that? 
 
 Melania Trump: I don't -- I don't think so. I think he believes the same. That chain migration, he doesn't want to just cut it off completely. We need to vet the people, and we need to make sure that they believe in our system. 
 
 The White House didn’t respond to our request to confirm whether the President’s ban on chain migration excludes parents. 
 
 But it was with an immigration issue that Melania Trump found her strongest voice -- taking on her own husband over his controversial policy of separating families crossing the border illegally. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP] 
 
 Tom Llamas: So as the family separation was happening, was there an image or a moment for you that just drew the line that you said, "I have to get involved"? 
 
 Melania Trump: I saw it on the news, and I reacted right away. 
 
 Tom Llamas: Was it the kids in the cages? We interviewed mothers who were crying, saying they'd been separated for eight months from their children. 
 
 Melania Trump: Separation, yes. It was unacceptable for me to see children and parents separated. It was heartbreaking. And I reacted with my own voice. I went to the border and met with the Border Patrol. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP] 
 
 Chris Christie: Everybody was talking about it, but she actually got on a plane and went and she wanted to see for herself. Again, because I think there are moments when she believes that she can best explain things to the President. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF MELANIA TRUMP] 
 
 Tom Llamas: What did you learn at the border? 
 
 Melania Trump: I met with the Border Patrol agents, and they doing a great job. And after my trip, I ask them how I can help to reunite the children and parents. 
 
 Tom Llamas: What would your message be to those families that are still separated? There are hundreds of kids that are -- that are still not with their parents. What would you tell them? 
 
 Melania Trump: I would tell them to keep strong and that -- time will come. It -- everything needs to go through the court system. 
 
 Tom Llamas: You know, it was under your husband's policy, the zero-tolerance policy, that these families were separated. That enforcement. Is this somewhere where you disagreed with him? 
 
 Melania Trump: Yes, and I let him know. I didn't know that that policy will come out. I was blindsided by it. I told him at home. And I said to him that I feel that's unacceptable. And he felt the same. 
 
 One of the rare times President Trump has changed course on an issue – putting a stop to family separations 
 
 Cecilia Vega: This is certainly not a president who likes to reverse course when it comes to an issue. So if the first lady is the one to convince him to end this family separations policy it really speaks to what a strong advisor she is in his inner circle. 
 
 But it was during that first trip to the border that the First Lady’s concern for those separated families was called into question – all because of that now infamous jacket. 
 
 [GOOD MORNING AMERICA NEWS CLIP] 
 
 Anita McBride: It really mattered a lot when she wore that jacket with those words on the back of it that nobody could really understand. That was so uncharacteristic really, because she doesn't appear to be an uncaring or unfeeling person. 
 
 Cecilia Vega: The letters right there in large font, the first lady fully aware of the cameras and the eyes of the world watching. 
 
 The rampant speculation only fueled after the first lady’s communications director insisted there was no hidden message behind the jacket. 
 
 [TV CLIP] 
 
 Tom Llamas: Let’s talk about the jacket. 
 
 Melania Trump: The jacket. 
 
 Tom Llamas: Why did you wear it? 
 
 Melania Trump: You know, I often asking myself, if I would not wear that jacket, if I will have so much media coverage. And it's obvious I didn't wear the jacket for the children. I wore the jacket to go on the plane and off the plane. And it was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me. And I wanna show them that I don't care. You could criticize whatever you wanna say, but it will not stop me to do what I feel is right. 
 
 Tom Llamas: What was it that compelled you to wear that at that moment? Because you were down there, you had just been with children and then you put the jacket on. 
 
 Melania Trump: I didn’t have a jacket when I was with the children After the visit I put it back on because I see how media got obsessed about it. 
 
 Tom Llamas: Your office had to release a statement during this time saying the jacket is just a jacket. So you were sending a message with the jacket? 
 
 Melania Trump: It-- it was kind of a message, yes. I would prefer that they would focus on what I do and on my initiatives than what I wear. 
 
 Coming up – Melania Trump and MeToo -- and for the first time -- she addresses questions about her husband’s alleged affairs and the personal storm that hit the White House. 
 
 Tom Llamas: Has your husband apologized to you since you've been in the White House? 
 
 Stay tuned. 
 
 Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images 
 
 Act 4: 
 
 Play 
 
 AS THE FIRST LADY STEPPED OFF THE PLANE ON THE SECOND LEG OF HER AFRICA VISIT, 
 
 THOUSAND OF MILES AWAY, HER HUSBAND HAD JUST MADE HEADLINES IN THE BITTER DEBATE OVER THE CREDIBILITY OF DOCTOR CHRISTINE BLASEY FORD WHO WAS AT THE CENTER OF THE KAVANAUGH HEARINGS. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP] 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Can women in the #MeToo movement call you a supporter? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Women, they have always my support. I feel that women and men -- they should be heard. And we should all be treated equal. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: What is your take about the #MeToo movement, though? Do you believe in them? Do you support the #MeToo movement? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I support the women, and they need to be heard. And you know, also men, not just women. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: So when you say that, though, some people may -- may interpret that to mean that -- that you don't fully support the #MeToo movement, or -- or they go too far. Has the #MeToo movement gone too far? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: In certain times, yes. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Can you give me an example? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Well, if somebody's accused -- with -- stuff that is not -- it's not correct that somebody accused of somebody as they say, "You're guilty before you innocent," right? And -- I don't believe in that. 
 
 BUT FOR HER HUSBAND AND STEPSON, DON JR., IT IS MEN -- NOT THE WOMEN -- WHO HAVE MORE TO FEAR FROM THE ME TOO MOVEMENT. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP] 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP, JR.] 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Your son-in-law this past week said at this point in time he's more concerned for his sons than his daughters. Your husband has agreed with him. Where do you stand? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I think we need to be concerned for -- for all of them. Not just boys or girls. I think for all of them. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Is this sort of a tough conversation you'll eventually have, you think, with your son? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I teach my son to be respectful and responsible, And I have a conversation with him already. He's 12 and a half. And I think it's very important, especially the world changed so much. 
 
 THAT WORLD HAS CHANGED FOR MELANIA TRUMP AS WELL. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP] 
 
 OVER A DOZEN WOMEN HAVE ACCUSED PRESIDENT TRUMP OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WHICH HE DENIES. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: They were -- they were lies. And as I said before, all the accusations, they should -- be handled in a court of law. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Do you think men in the -- in the news that have been accused of -- of sexual assault, sexual harassment, have been treated unfairly? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Well, you need to have evidence. You need to have really hard evidence that, you know, that if you accuse of something, show the evidence. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Some women might hear that and say, "How could you say that, Mrs. Trump? You need to stand with women." What would you say? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I do stand with women. But we need to show the evidence. 
 
 BUT THIS PAST YEAR, A NEW SCANDAL BROKE THAT PLACED HER MARRIAGE UNDER THE WHITE HOT SCRUTINY OF THE PRESS ONCE AGAIN. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP] 
 
 WHEN THE NEWS BROKE JUST BEFORE THE ELECTION ABOUT PORN STAR STORMY DANIELS BEING PAID BY THE PRESIDENT’S PERSONAL ATTORNEY MICHAEL COHEN, TO STAY SILENT ABOUT THE ALLEGED AFFAIR, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE FIRST LADY. 
 
 Cokie Roberts: There were lots of rumors that she was furious after the Stormy Daniels story became public. And she wasn't seen in public for good while after that. 
 
 THOUGH THE WHITE HOUSE DENIED THE PRESIDENT HAD AN AFFAIR, MELANIA TRUMP CANCELLED PLANS TO TRAVEL WITH HER HUSBAND TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN DAVOS. THEN ARRIVED AT THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS SEPARATELY. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP] 
 
 ALL THIS RAISING SPECULATION ABOUT THE STATE OF THE FIRST COUPLE’S MARRIAGE. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: You did agree to this interview, to your credit, with no preconditions. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Correct. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Knowing that there could be some tough questions asked. You're not the first, first lady to have to deal with her husband's alleged infidelities. Has this put a strain on your marriage? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: It is not concern and focus of mine. I'm a mother and a first lady, and I have much more important things to think about and to do. I know people like to speculate and media like to speculate about our marriage. And circulate the gossip. But I understand the gossip sells newspapers, magazines, getting advertisers. And unfortunately we live -- in this kind of world today. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Have you been hurt, though? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Media what is speculating. Yeah, it's not always pleasant, of course. But -- I know what is right and what is wrong and what is true or not true. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: A lot of people are gonna be watching this across the country, wondering how you have dealt with all this. There's a human equation to this. So what's in your heart? How do you deal with this? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I'm very strong, and I know what my priorities are. 
 
 AT FIRST THE PRESIDENT DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT A PAYMENT TO STORMY DANIELS. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP] 
 
 BUT ONE MONTH LATER… HE FINALLY ADMITTED KNOWING ABOUT THE PAYOFF. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP] 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF RUDY GIULIANI] 
 
 THE NEXT DAY ... THIS STATEMENT FROM THE FIRST LADY’S SPOKESPERSON “I DON’T BELIEVE MRS. TRUMP HAS EVER DISCUSSED HER THOUGHTS ON ANYTHING WITH MR. GIULIANI.” 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: The only time you have commented publicly, your office, was when Rudy Giuliani came out and said your thoughts about Stormy Daniels' claims, and said, "She believes in her husband. She knows it's not true." Is that an accurate statement? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I never talked to Mr. Giuliani. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Why do you think he came out and said that? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I don't know. You need to ask him. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP] 
 
 IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME QUESTIONS HAVE ARISEN ABOUT HOW MELANIA TRUMP WOULD REACT TO SCANDALOUS REPORTS. 
 
 JUST A MONTH BEFORE THE ELECTION, THIS JAW DROPPING TAPE BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP AND TV HOST BILLY BUSH, WAS LEAKED TO THE WASHINGTON POST. 
 
 [VIDEO CLIP] 
 
 [NEWS CLIP] 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: During the "Access Hollywood" incident during the campaign, your husband apologized to you. Has your husband apologized to you since you've been in the White House? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yeah, he apologized. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Can you tell us what he apologized about? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: You know, I know I'm the first lady, but I'm also a mother and a wife. So I will keep some private thoughts for myself. So, we'll leave it at that. 
 
 THEN, JUST YESTERDAY, THE WHITE HOUSE HAD THIS CLARIFICATION: “THE PRESIDENT OFTEN APOLOGIZES TO MRS. TRUMP FOR ALL THE MEDIA NONSENSE AND SCRUTINY SHE HAS BEEN UNDER SINCE ENTERING THE WHITE HOUSE.” 
 
 NEXT 
 
 WHOS’S IN, WHO’S OUT. AND DID MELANIA HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT? 
 
 TOM LAMAS: Has he had people that you didn’t trust working for him? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yes. 
 
 PLUS, SECRET SIGNALS? FROM INSIDE THE MOST SCRUTINIZED MARRIAGE ON THE PLANET. 
 
 Cecilia Vega: Is she speaking to the president? Is she speaking to the media? 
 
 Llamas: When we return. 
 
 Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images 
 
 Act 5: 
 
 Play 
 
 Across Africa, we witnessed a First Lady seeming to campaign for a more compassionate role for America around the world -- from meeting new mothers in Ghana to dancing with orphans in Kenya. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I think it is a very important that we show the world that America cares. That this administration cares and I care. When other people have more opportunities then the world is freer. 
 
 But that message seems in stark contrast to the Trump doctrine: 
 
 [CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP AT THE UNITED NATIONS] 
 
 Cecilia Vega: "America first" is the name of the game for this administration and President Trump proposed limiting U.S. aid by 40 percent, but Congress did not approve that. 
 
 One of the targets of the President’s proposed cuts – an agency whose work the First Lady highlighted while in Africa -- the US Agency for International Development. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Your husband has wanted to slash the funding for USAID, do you agree with that? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Well they’re looking into it. USAID, it’s helping the countries for self-reliance and it will take a long time. We still need to help them but we will see. It’s still in the open stages. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: What will you tell president Trump about USAID and the work they are doing here in Africa? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I will give him my feedback. What I saw and what I learned. 
 
 And those close to him say that if anyone can get the famously stubborn President to change his mind on an issue – it’s his own wife. 
 
 Chris Christie: She's the most powerful ally you can get if you're attempting to influence Donald Trump. No one, I know him for a long time, no one influences Donald Trump more than Melania Trump. Nobody. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: One of the president’s closest friends, Tom Barrack, Jr. told Vanity Fair, "The one who has the most control over Donald Trump is Melania, 100 percent." Is that true? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Oh, I wish. I give him my honest advice and honest opinions. And then he does what he wants to do. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Sources have told us, sources in the White House, that you are the gatekeeper. That you tell him who he can trust and who he can't trust. Is that true? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yes, I give him my honest advice. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: He's been in office now almost two years. Has he had people that you didn't trust working for him? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yes. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Did you let him know? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I let him know. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: And what did he do? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Well, some people, they don't work there anymore. 
 
 In fact -- the Trump White House is notorious for its swiftly revolving door -- 
 
 [NEWS CLIPS] 
 
 At this point in the President’s term, more people have left than in any administration in history. It’s even been dubbed: “Survivor: the White House Edition” 
 
 Cecilia Vega: This administration has struggled to keep people inside the West Wing, partly because it’s just so chaotic there. 
 
 Jon Karl: It’s a very tough environment because you always have to figure out where the president is gonna be and you could be thrown off course at any minute 
 
 And even the loyalty of those remaining in the White House was cast in doubt after that bombshell New York Times op-ed. In it, an anonymous senior administration official claimed there was a “quiet resistance” among staffers opposing the president. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Do you think there's still people there that he can't trust? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yes. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Still working now? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yes. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: How hard do you think it is for him to be president, knowing that there's also that contingent of people that are close to him? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Well, it's harder to governor -- governing. It's -- you know, you always need to watch your back. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP] 
 
 But with all of that infighting, backstabbing and intrigue -- we wondered if the first lady had any qualms about sticking around the White House for a possible second term. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Your husband most likely will run for re-election. Are you looking forward to possibly six more years in the White House? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: I believe that my husband is doing an incredible job for this nation. And I want that American people have a success. So whatever he will decide, I will support him. 
 
 Tom Llamas: But are you looking forward to it? 
 
 Melania Trump: I'm enjoying it. I really love to live in the Washington and in the White House. 
 
 The first lady may love living in the White House -- but we still had one more question -- what about her feelings for the man living there with her? 
 
 Tom Llamas: You mentioned you still have a good marriage. Do you love your husband? 
 
 When we return. 
 
 Yuri Gripas/EPA via Shutterstock, FILE 
 
 Act 6: 
 
 Play 
 
 RIGHT NOW, NO MARRIAGE ON THE PLANET…MORE TALKED ABOUT, GOSSIPED ABOUT, WHISPERED ABOUT THAN THEIRS. ON THE PUBLIC STAGE ... IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS, HE IS THE PROUD HUSBAND. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF DONALD TRUMP] 
 
 AND FOR YEARS, SHE -- ADORING HIM. 
 
 [NEWS CLIP OF MELANIA TRUMP] 
 
 BUT UNDER THE GLARE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL SPOTLIGHT…PHOTOS AND MOMENTS EMERGING…NOT IN LINE WITH THE IMAGE OF AN IDEAL MARRIAGE. 
 
 [ENTERTAINMENT SHOW CLIP] 
 
 JON KARL: People try to scrutinize every little movement, did she swat away his hands. 
 
 CECILIA VEGA: People play this guessing game about is she speaking to the president, is she speaking to the media, is this some kind of subliminal message. Part of that is because we don’t hear a lot from her. 
 
 CHRIS CHRISTIE: I think it's a misunderstood marriage from the outside. I see them together frequently, and there's real affection and there's real respect there. 
 
 TERRY MORAN: For people who like President Trump, she is a great, elegant asset to him and to the country. She's a great first lady. For people who don't like President Trump, she is either the beauty who lives with the beast, or the princess trapped in the castle with the dragon, or the arm candy on the billionaire. 
 
 SO WE ASKED MELANIA TRUMP HERSELF FOR THE FINAL ANSWER. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: You mentioned you still have a good marriage. Do you love your husband? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Yes, we are fine. Yes. It's what media speculate, and it's gossip. It's not always correct stuff. 
 
 THE MYSTERY OF THE NATION’S MOST SCRUTINIZED MARRIAGE, NOT QUITE SOLVED. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Knowing what you do now, what advice would you have given yourself on Jan. 20, 2017? 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Listen yourself the way you always listen yourself. I always ask myself what is my priority. What I wanna do. What is good for our child and for me and for my husband. And I took those steps. 
 
 TOM LLAMAS: Thank you, Mrs. Trump. 
 
 MELANIA TRUMP: Thank you.
– Innocent flub? Public diss? Either way, President Trump and wife Melania provided an unintentionally buzzy moment upon their arrival in Tel Aviv. Watch it via this video clip from the newspaper Haaretz. It shows the president reaching back to take wife Melania's hand on the airport tarmac and then her, well, not taking him up on it. That has triggered lots of coverage along these lines in the Daily News: She "refused to hold her husband's hand and then slapped it away." A post at the Daily Beast raises the ante on that sentiment. But many also were taking a more middle-ground approach, hedging descriptions of Melania's action with phrases like "appeared to be swatting" (People) or "seems to swat away" (Los Angeles Times). The Washington Post, meanwhile, offered one of the most charitable explanations: "Or maybe, upon close inspection of the footage, perhaps she just missed grabbing his outstretched hand, like a trapeze artist flubbing the catch," writes Emily Heil. She notes that Trumpian hand-holding is a favorite topic of White House watchers, meaning the two ought to at least "work on their choreography" if they want to avoid feeding the memes. (This isn't the first time Melania has seemed to flinch at her husband's touch.)