Melania Trump said she hopes to make a charitable donation to a foster children’s program by raising at least least $250,000 through an auction of several items, including the signature white hat she wore when the French prime minister and his wife visited the White House in 2018.
The former first lady’s office has been vague on who will earn what share of the proceeds from the auction, according to CNN. Her office said that some of the proceeds of the auction will go toward an initiative for foster children that is a part of her Be Best program, but it’s not clear exactly what portion will be donated, CNN reporter Kate Bennett said.
The important collection features three one-of-a-kind signed items, including the iconic white hat worn during the French Republic's State Visit. A portion of the proceeds will support children from the foster care community. #MelaniaNFT #FosteringTheFuture #BeBest #HeadOfState
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) January 4, 2022
According to a statement from Melania Trump’s office, the custom, wide-brimmed hat will be the centerpiece of the auction that also includes a watercolor painting and a digital painting of the hat by artist Marc-Antoine Coulon. All items will be signed and are designed to commemorate the April 2018 White House visit of Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron.
The hat was created for Melania Trump by her personal stylist, Hervé Pierre, to match the $2,105 white crepe Michael Kors Collection suit she wore for the ceremony to meet the Macrons. Meanwhile, Coulon is the French artist who drew a digital watercolor closeup of Melania Trump’s eyes that she sold last month in the form of a non-fungible token (or NFT) through the cryptocurrency Solana.
CNN’s Bennett said she had sought clarity “numerous times” from Melania Trump’s spokesperson about how much of the proceeds will be donated to “Fostering the Future,” which is described as a “Be Best Initiative.” A statement about the auction said the former first lady will “grant the opening round of scholarships to recipients during the first quarter of 2022,” though details about the scholarships were not included.
Prominent LGBTQ activist Charlotte Clymer expressed skepticism over Melania Trump’s claims that her auction is motivated by philanthropy.
This isn't for charity. The former First Lady of the United States is doing an online garage sale as a side hustle. https://t.co/tXqLxogYsW
— Charlotte Clymer
(@cmclymer) January 4, 2022
(@cmclymer) Retired NBCUniversal executive Mike Sington also tweeted: The grift continues. … Everything this family does is just so tacky.”
The grift continues. Of course Melania Trump is now selling things she wore as First Lady to make money. First up is a white hat she wore. But wait, you also get a watercolor painting of her wearing the hat. Minimum bid is $250,000. Everything this family does is just so tacky. pic.twitter.com/fyRTjJ6Gzr
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) January 4, 2022
As a former first lady, Melania Trump is certainly following a less-than-traditional post-White House path. Other first ladies have written memoirs, continued charitable work, started foundations or run for political office. They also typically donate significant items of clothing and other personal items associated with historic moments of their husband’s presidency, CNN’s Bennett wrote.
These items might go to their husband’s presidential library or to other museum-level institutions or organizations, Bennett added. For example, several items of Jacqueline Kennedy’s wardrobe as first lady are part of an exhibition within the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum.
Melania Trump, meanwhile, is venturing into the world of NFTs and cryptocurrency. On Dec. 16, she announced that she was selling a limited release of the NFT watercolor drawing of her eyes and said that an unspecified portion of the profits would go to provide foster children “with access to computer science and technology education.”
According to Bennett’s reporting, Melania Trump’s office has declined media inquiries about how many NFTs were sold and how much money would go to foster children.