First lady Melania Trump will take part Thursday evening in CNN’s weekly global town hall on coronavirus. Her remarks, which will be pre-recorded, are the first solo broadcast message from Trump since the onset of the pandemic.
It is anticipated she will specifically address the nation’s students, most of whom have had their academic lives altered by stay-at-home orders and other precautionary health measures. This week’s town hall, hosted by CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is focused, in part, on education and the disruption to schools and colleges because of Covid-19.
Over the last two months, Trump has made several videos from the White House on a range of topics – from how to help prevent the spread of the virus to the importance of wearing a face covering and appreciation for first responders and front-line workers, posting the clips on her social media feeds. This week she participated in one of President Donald Trump’s frequently scheduled calls with governors, inviting their spouses to join and asking states to consider support for child welfare workers and mental health professionals who work with children.
On the call, a recording of which has been obtained by CNN, President Trump called his wife a “great representative” of the country and remarked on signs from supporters of the first lady whenever he travels to make a speech. “I’m not happy about that because I’m the one speaking,” he added, “so, you know, I’m very possessive, but she’s done a fantastic job.”
Melania Trump has taken just one public trip outside of the White House since March 10, when she visited Alexandria, Virginia, to give remarks at a National Parent Teacher Association event. On May 8, the first lady accompanied the President to a wreath-laying at the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. She also delivered a prayer from the Rose Garden on May 7, marking the National Day of Prayer.
