Melania Trump Breaks Decades-Old White House Tradition: What Is the Tradition She Rejected?

After Donald Trump won the US election in 2024, and as a pledge for an orderly transfer of power, Joe Biden invited Donald trump at the White House for a dinner meet. In a similar gesture, First Lady Jill Biden invited Melania for a cordial meet. However, Melania Trump, former First Lady, has declined the invitation, braking the tradition of the White House.

Here’s why?

The reason is lingering resentment over the FBI’s search of the Trumps’ Mar-a-Lago estate last year, which reportedly included Melania’s private belongings, a perceived “invasion of privacy” that remains a sore point for the former first lady.

In August 2022, the FBI conducted a high-profile search of Mar-a-Lago as part of a federal investigation into classified documents believed to have been improperly retained by former President Trump after his term. The search included personal spaces within the residence, which, as Melania expressed in a 2023 interview, left her feeling violated. Melania was reportedly disturbed by FBI agents inspecting her personal belongings, which allegedly included items from her closet and her son Barron’s room.

Describing the raid, she stated, “I saw unpleasant stuff that nobody wants to see,” voicing anger and frustration over what she called an “invasion of privacy.” Donald Trump also commented on his wife’s reaction, stating that she felt “very violated” by the federal probe into their home.

What Is The White House Tradition?

Following Donald Trump’s recent win over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden extended an invitation to the Trumps for a traditional post-election meeting in the White House. This meeting, which aims to symbolize the peaceful transition of power, often includes a tea or tour between the current and incoming first ladies.

Melania has, however, decided to skip the traditional tea, with a source telling the New York Post, “She ain’t going. Jill Biden’s husband authorized the FBI snooping through her underwear drawer. The Bidens are disgusting.” The source added, “Jill Biden isn’t someone Melania needs to meet.”

This rejection of the first ladies’ White House tea breaks from a tradition observed even amidst partisan differences. In 2016, then-First Lady Michelle Obama hosted Melania for tea and a tour of the White House’s private quarters following Donald Trump’s election. But the 2020 election, which Trump contested on grounds of alleged voter fraud, did not see this customary meeting, as Trump refused to invite the Bidens to the White House, a break from decades of custom.

While Melania may not be present, President-elect Donald Trump is set to meet with Joe Biden on Wednesday in the Oval Office, in what many see as a crucial gesture toward national unity following a particularly polarizing election season. The White House meeting between the current and incoming presidents aims to demonstrate a peaceful transfer of power despite political rivalries.

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