First lady Melania Trump is scheduled to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City on Monday, her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham confirmed to CNN.
“Mrs. Trump will be taking part in an iconic New York City tradition, and encouraging children to be best, through her initiative,” Grisham said.
The New York Daily News first reported the scheduled stock market event.
Trump’s platform, which marked its one-year anniversary in May, is called “Be Best,” and is aimed at helping children’s overall well-being, online safety and their exposure to the opioid epidemic.
Trump will be in New York City with President Donald Trump for the United Nations General Assembly.
As she rings the bell, which happens Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m. ET, Trump will be accompanied by several children from the UN International School, said Grisham.
The ringing of bells to mark the start and end of the stock trading day at the NYSE has been a tradition since the late 1800s. In more recent decades, notable people, heads of corporations and celebrities have often honored special occasions by being the actual ringer of the bell, which is automated, and done by pressing a button.
In 1985, then-President Ronald Reagan tried to re-boot his economic policies by ringing the opening bell, saying: “We’re going to turn the bull loose.”
First lady Laura Bush rang the NYSE closing bell in 2006 and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did so in 2009.
