First Lady Melania Trump was seen warmly greeting attendees at a Red Cross event, where she helped distribute care packages to military families for Christmas. A lip reader alleges that she said, "So nice to meet you!" to the guests before revealing more.
She delivered a speech alongside Second Lady Usha Vance at the event held on Monday at Maryland's Andrews Air Force Base.
Professional lip reader Nicola Hickling endeavoured to decipher the conversation between the First Lady and the attendees as she handed out Christmas gifts at the event.
After the initial reading shown on television, Trump moved to another part of the table and said, according to Hickling, "Don't mind me, how are you? They're all going to be surprised. It's very nice. Thank you."
Upon leaving the table, a seemingly anxious First Lady asked into the microphone, "Who am I going to now?" She then approached an officer and they engaged in a conversation.
As the festive season draws near, a time when many military families will face an empty seat at the table, the First Lady and Second Lady have expressed their profound gratitude for the strength, resilience, and sacrifice of those who serve and their loved ones who support them, according to a White House press release from 21 November.
Both women conveyed their heartfelt appreciation to military personnel, educators, students, and families at MCAS New River and Camp Lejeune for their warm welcome and unwavering service to the United States.
Photographs from the initial event depict the First and Second Ladies interacting with and embracing the children of troops, as well as engaging in conversation with soldiers at the North Carolina base.
Addressing U.S. troops overseas, the First Lady said, "Please know that our nation is thinking of you, praying for you and deeply grateful for your service," particularly "during the holidays."
She later urged the troops to ready themselves for combat on the digital battlefield in the midst of the AI arms race.
"To win the AI war, we must train our next generation, for it's America's students who will lead the Marine Corps in the future," Trump stated.
Vance, whose husband served as an Iraq War correspondent in the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007, also expressed her gratitude, saying, "We are so grateful to you for carrying on the Marine Corps' proud traditions of duty, honour and service.
"I am so impressed by your commitment to building strong communities and schools," Vance continued. "Military families are truly the model for our country and for my own family."
Marine Corps Lt. Kathryn Wisniewski commended their decision in a written statement for the Department of Defence, which has been rebranded as the Department of War under Secretary Pete Hegseth, who currently finds himself embroiled in controversy over strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean as tensions escalate in the region.
"This landmark visit marked the first joint trip to both installations for both ladies, underscoring their commitment to the military community," she penned on 21 November. "With a shared goal of acknowledging the sacrifices made by those serving or deployed this holiday season, the visit provided an invaluable opportunity for both women to connect with service members and families.
