HYGO News A Farewell Message from First Lady Melania Trump
A Farewell Message from First Lady Melania Trump
On January 18, 2021, two days before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, First Lady Melania Trump released a farewell video message to the American people. The address reflected on her four years in the White House, highlighted the accomplishments of her Be Best initiative, and called on Americans to choose “love over hatred, peace over violence, and others before yourself.” The message came less than two weeks after the January 6 Capitol breach, and Melania Trump included a pointed statement that “violence is never the answer and will never be justified.”
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as First Lady of the United States,” she said. “I have been inspired by incredible Americans across our country who lift up our communities through their kindness and courage, goodness and grace.”
Reflecting on Four Years
The first lady’s farewell was structured around the people and experiences she said she would carry with her from the White House. She described encountering “brave young soldiers” who spoke with pride about serving their country, law enforcement officers who “stand guard to keep our communities safe,” and children in hospitals and foster care centers who “bring such a joy to everyone they meet.”
She singled out mothers who had battled opioid addiction and “overcome incredible hardships for love of their children,” as well as caregivers for babies born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. These references directly connected to the policy work she had pursued through her Be Best initiative.
“When I think about these meaningful experiences, I am humbled to have had the opportunity to represent a nation with such kind and generous people,” she said.
COVID-19 and the January 6 Context
Melania Trump addressed the ongoing pandemic, thanking nurses, doctors, healthcare professionals, manufacturing workers, and truck drivers “who are working to save lives.” She expressed grief for families who lost loved ones and urged Americans to “use caution and common sense to protect the vulnerable as millions of vaccines are now being delivered.”
She highlighted the resilience Americans showed during the pandemic: students making cards and delivering groceries to senior citizens, teachers working “twice as hard” to keep children learning, and families providing meals and supplies to those in need.
In what many observers interpreted as a reference to the Capitol breach on January 6, the first lady stated: “Be passionate in everything you do but always remember that violence is never the answer and will never be justified.” The sentence stood alone as a paragraph in her remarks, underscoring its significance.
The Be Best Legacy
The first lady devoted a substantial portion of her farewell to the Be Best initiative, which she had launched to address children’s well-being, online safety, and opioid abuse.
“When I came to the White House, I reflected on the responsibility I have always felt as a mother to encourage, give strength, and teach values of kindness,” she said. “It is our duty as adults and parents to ensure that children have the best opportunities to lead fulfilling and healthy lives.”
She pointed to what she described as progress in raising awareness of online safety for children, combating the nation’s drug epidemic and its impact on newborns and families, and giving “a voice to our most vulnerable children in the foster care system.”
Internationally, she said Be Best had “evolved into a platform that encourages world leaders to discuss issues impacting the lives of children and allows them to share solutions.”
She urged Americans to carry on the initiative’s principles: “I ask parents to educate your children about the courageous and selfless heroes who worked and sacrificed to make this country the land of the free. And to lead by example and care for others in your community.”
A Call for Unity
The first lady closed her farewell with a call for national unity, asking Americans to be “an ambassador of Be Best” in all circumstances.
“To focus on what unites us. To rise above what divides us. To always choose love over hatred, peace over violence, and others before yourself,” she said.
“Together, as one national family, we can continue to be the light of hope for future generations and carry on America’s legacy of raising our nation to greater heights through our spirit of courage, goodness and faith.”
She concluded with an expression of gratitude: “No words can express the depth of my gratitude for the privilege of having served as your First Lady. To all the people of this country: You will be in my heart forever. Thank you. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.”
Key Takeaways
- First Lady Melania Trump released her farewell video on January 18, 2021, reflecting on her four years in the White House and the people who inspired her during her time as first lady.
- She addressed the January 6 Capitol breach indirectly, stating that “violence is never the answer and will never be justified.”
- The farewell highlighted the Be Best initiative’s three pillars — children’s well-being, online safety, and opioid abuse — and its expansion into an international platform.
- Melania Trump called on Americans to choose “love over hatred, peace over violence, and others before yourself” as she concluded her tenure.
Background
Melania Trump’s farewell address was released as a pre-recorded video, a departure from the tradition of some previous first ladies who delivered their final public remarks in person. The video was posted to the White House social media channels and YouTube on the same day that President Trump released his own farewell address.
The timing of the farewell, coming in the aftermath of the Capitol breach and amid heightened security preparations for the Biden inauguration, gave the message added weight. Washington, D.C., was under an unprecedented security lockdown with thousands of National Guard troops deployed throughout the city, making the call for peace and unity all the more striking.