US First Lady Melania Trump’s new official portrait has been unveiled. Captured in the White House the day after her husband’s inauguration, the black-and-white photograph features her wearing a dark business suit paired with a white shirt. She rests her hands on a reflective table in the Yellow Oval Room, with the Washington Monument visible in the background.
The official portrait of Melania has been released, and I thought it looked familiar… then I remembered pic.twitter.com/vb1ZaAPgYv
— Shipwreck (@shipwreckshow) January 27, 2025
Melania Trump, a former fashion model, is no stranger to having her clothing and poses closely analyzed by critics. The portrait was taken by Régine Mahaux, a Belgian photographer who has been photographing the Trump family for over two decades. Mahaux also captured Mrs. Trump’s 2017 official portrait for her husband’s first term.
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“I was deeply honored to be chosen for the second time to shoot this official portrait,” Mahaux told the BBC on Monday. “Working with such an inspiring woman is a great privilege. She’s a perfectionist and deeply involved in the creative process.”
Art expert Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, Faculty Director for the Department of History of Art at the University of Pennsylvania and curator of Every Eye is Upon Me: First Ladies of the United States at the National Portrait Gallery, shared her thoughts on the image:
“Similar to her first official portrait, also by Régine Mahaux, this new photograph shows Melania Trump in formal business attire, posed in front of a window. In contrast to the earlier image, which featured a window from the family quarters, this photograph is taken in the Yellow Oval Room, overlooking the Ellipse, with the Washington Monument subtly positioned to the left behind her.
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The alignment of her body with this iconic obelisk—a symbol of presidential power—is striking. Her pose, with fingertips confidently placed on a highly reflective table, conveys a readiness to engage and act upon the opportunities presented by her role. This reflects the traditional expectation of first ladies as both hostesses and advocates for the marginalized.
Mrs. Trump’s ease in front of the camera is undoubtedly influenced by her modeling background, but the two-decade relationship she has with Ms. Mahaux likely plays an even larger role. This trust allows her to appear composed, confident, and elegant in her portraits. For models, entrusting a photographer to effectively capture and convey their intended message is critical, and Mrs. Trump appears to have that trust in Mahaux.
The image signals a shift from her first term. She has moved from the private family quarters to the Yellow Oval Room, symbolically closer to the center of executive power. Her positioning behind the reflective table suggests a balance between approachability and maintaining an air of mystery—remaining composed, enigmatic, and slightly reserved.”