Melania Trump’s new monochrome portrait is a first for US First Ladies. What does it signify?

First Lady Melania Trump has once again captured the world’s attention, but this time, it’s not through her wardrobe or a viral moment but through her latest official portrait.

The monochrome photograph, released on Monday, features the former Slovenian model standing in a poised and assertive stance in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House, sparking speculation about a potential shift in her role during President Donald Trump’s second term.

What does the portrait signify, and how does it stack up against her earlier one? Let’s take a closer look.

Lack of smile a ‘calculated choice’?

Taken just one day after her husband’s inauguration on January 21, Melania Trump’s black-and-white official portrait showcases the First Lady in a dark business suit paired with a white shirt.

In the photograph, Melania leans forward on a reflective table, her gaze fixed directly on the camera with a subtle smile. Notably, she opts for a minimalist look, wearing no jewellery. Behind her, a window reveals the Washington Monument towering over the capital’s skyline.

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The Office of the First Lady said Trump’s portrait was taken in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House by the family’s long-trusted photographer from Belgium Régine Mahaux earlier this week.

“I was really honoured to be chosen to shoot this official portrait for the second time,” Mahaux, who also shot Melania’s official portrait in 2017, for Trump’s first term in office told the BBC on Monday.

The 2017 portrait was taken in the White House residence and featured a softer look. The colour photograph showed Melania adorned in a black ensemble with a scarf, exuding glamour and approachability. She is smiling slightly, arms crossed, and wearing visible jewellery, including a ring on each hand.

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This time, however, the First Lady’s lack of a smile in her portrait is a “calculated choice” in which she is trying to “match her husband’s portrait”, said Dillard University professor and political analyst Robert Collins in a Newsweek report.

President Donald Trump’s second-term portrait, unveiled earlier this January, featured a stern expression with a slightly furrowed brow. The colour image drew comparisons to his mug shot, with some observers remarking on its serious tone. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained to The New York Times that the portrait conveys the message, “America. Is. Back.”

She is giving ‘ultimate power couple’ vibes’

According to Collins, Melania Trump seems to be embracing a new narrative, one that exudes “ultimate power couple” energy alongside her husband.

“Melania is, of course, a former fashion model. So she understands branding, and she understands the power of photographic images. The black-and-white choice is designed to communicate the seriousness of her position, which indicates that she might be planning on taking a more active role in the administration. Or at least more active than she did in the first term,” Collins told Newsweek.

Melania, who is expected to focus on areas of interest she previously championed, has already begun laying the groundwork for her role. In an interview with Fox & Friends, she revealed that she has been preparing for her return to the White House. According to CNN, her preparations include studying foreign affairs, which she views as an essential part of stepping into her responsibilities once again.

Collins believes her assertive “power pose” in the portrait is her “communicating that she is in control. She is in charge. She is at the top of the food chain. She’s the one giving orders. All of this together seems to indicate that Melania is trying to change her brand from being the ‘supportive wife’ in the background to being more of an equal partner in the administration,” he said.

“Perhaps she will use her higher profile to promote some of the various philanthropic causes that she has supported during her career,” he added.

And that has already begun. In the interview on Fox & Friends Melania spoke about reviving her “Be Best” initiative, a campaign to help children combat online bullying and opioid abuse, which she started in 2018. She also more recently, joined President Trump as he surveyed hurricane damage in North Carolina last Friday.

The 54-year-old also said that moving into the White House this time was a contrast, compared with eight years ago.

“Even for me, it’s very different because I know what you need to establish, you know what kind of people you need to hire…to be in your office. So that’s what I’m doing now,” she said.

Melania plans to split her time between Washington, DC, and Palm Beach, Florida, but will also spend time in New York City, where her 18-year-old son, Barron Trump , is attending New York University.

As Melania steps into this phase of her public life, all eyes remain on her evolving role and whether this shift in branding will translate into a more prominent place in the political sphere.

With input from agencies