Melania Trump finally figures out how to smile, just in time for the White House Easter party

The White House South Lawn came alive on Easter Monday, as President Donald Trump hosted his highly anticipated Easter Egg Roll. However, instead of hogging the spotlight, Trump was upstaged by Melania Trump, who cracked a smile that didn’t look like hurt for the first time since her husband descended that fateful elevator in 2015. 

Melania attended the event with a belted trench coat and chic green pumps and appeared more relaxed and animated than she has in years. Some snaps showed her standing close to her husband, while others featured her smiling and waving to the children during the games with an Easter bunny mascot.

For years, she’s been labeled “stone-faced” by the press and social media users. Before the post-Easter gathering, it was hard to imagine Melania expressing genuine happiness in public, especially when she was with her husband. More often than not, she typically looks uncomfortable next to him. But on Monday, she appeared in good spirits as she held hands with Trump and did not even hesitate to receive a kiss on the cheek from him in front of the attendees. 

“A very happy Easter to everyone,” Trump said at the kickoff. “It’s a beautiful day. We’re honoring Jesus Christ, very powerfully.” As military bands performed and the children crafted and played, Melania happily looked on. Not sure if it’s the kids, the festive spirit, or if Melania finally figured out that America prefers its first ladies with a little warmth.

Was Melania faking her smiles before?

Melania Trump’s radiant Easter display was a far cry from her past appearances, which have prompted experts to accuse her of smiling under duress on more than one occasion. During Trump’s post-election victory speech, body language analysts clocked her “fake smiles,” “awkward hug,” and “false kiss,” even calling her presence onstage more hostage than hopeful.

“She smiles because she has to,” body language expert Darren Stanton told The Mirror, “not because she wants to.” Stanton, speaking for Spin Genie, claimed Melania’s demeanor screamed discomfort before, especially when her husband made a spectacle of their affection. He suggested she’s not keen on the spotlight, despite the high-glamour outfits that scream First Lady fab. “There’s still a reluctance from her,” he said. “She doesn’t want to be there.”

In January, Melania marked her return to the White House by releasing a moody black-and-white official portrait. Posing in a stiff blazer with a cold stare and the Washington Monument looming behind her, she looked more “House of Cards villainess” than a happy-to-be-back first lady. Social media exploded with comparisons to Claire Underwood, citing the icy vibe and overly formal staging. Assumptions that she would mostly stay out of the spotlight during Trump’s second term also spread online. 

But with Melania’s surprising Easter transformation, could the ice be thawing for the usually stoic former model? Or was it just a perfectly timed PR smile for the cameras? Much worse, Melania might have finally mastered her role in Trump’s regime — and maybe, just maybe, she’s started to enjoy it too.