On President Biden’s first foreign trip as president, first lady Jill Biden wore a jacket emblazoned with the word “LOVE” across the back, leading Twitter users to draw comparisons between the current first lady and former first lady Melania Trump’s infamous “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” jacket.
On Thursday, President Biden met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Cornwall, England prior to the upcoming G7 summit. The president was accompanied by first lady Jill Biden, who drew attention for her outfit choice for the day.
@FLOTUS with a simple message on the back of her jacket: LOVE.
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) June 10, 2021
“We’re bringing love from America… This is a global conference, we’re trying to bring unity across the globe.” pic.twitter.com/pm5khF9fUW
Jill Biden’s jacket was reminiscent of the jacket Melania Trump donned in 2018 en route to a migrant detention center near the U.S.-Mexico border. Melania Trump’s $39 Zara jacket caused a media uproar, leading one of her staffers to respond to the scrutiny.
AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
Today’s visit w the children in Texas impacted @flotus greatly. If media would spend their time & energy on her actions & efforts to help kids - rather than speculate & focus on her wardrobe - we could get so much accomplished on behalf of children. #SheCares #ItsJustAJacket
— Stephanie Grisham 45 Archived (@StephGrisham45) June 21, 2018
Inevitably, many Twitter users analyzed Jill Biden’s jacket as a jab at Melania Trump.
Jill Biden wears jacket with word “LOVE” on back as the Bidens + Johnsons meet - immediately invoking comparisons with Melania Trump’s controversial jacket with the words “I really don’t care” in 2018 #G7 pic.twitter.com/UurTDS6NN9
— Suzanne Lynch (@suzannelynch1) June 10, 2021
This is a very interesting choice.
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) June 10, 2021
Jill Biden knows a jacket with words on the back will automatically draw comparisons to Melania, so it's fascinating that she would want a (not subtle) troll move to define one of her highest profile moments in the administration so far. https://t.co/qOpcErr1QV
Tell us you're classier than Melania trump without telling us pic.twitter.com/0Xr0DQuZx1
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) June 10, 2021
On overseas trip, First Lady Jill Biden is wearing a jacket that says "LOVE" on the back.
— Jordyn Phelps (@JordynPhelps) June 10, 2021
(Hard to see that jacket and not remember former First Lady Melania Trump wearing the jacket that said "I really don't care do you?")
The first lady seemed to be trolling Melania Trump, who in 2018 wore a jacket that said “I really don’t care, do u?” when she traveled to the US border in Texas to visit children separated from their families, during outcry about Trump admin policies. pic.twitter.com/Jo7xh2zWKn
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) June 10, 2021
Back in 2018, Melania Trump stated in an interview with ABC News that she wore the controversial jacket “for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me. And I want to show them that I don’t care.” Also, then-President Trump took to his now-deleted Twitter account to confirm the jacket was referring to the “Fake News Media.” As we reported in 2018, Trump said the following on his Twitter:
“I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” written on the back of Melania’s jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares!”
Today, Jill Biden said the message behind her jacket was “bringing love from America” and “trying to bring unity across the globe,” when asked by reporters about her wardrobe choice.
“I think that we’re bringing love from America. I think that this is a global conference, and we are trying to bring unity across the globe. And I think that’s important right now, that people feel a sense of unity from all the countries and feel a sense of hope after this year of the pandemic.”
While I hope that’s true, it can’t help but seem like another motive behind the jacket choice was to trump her predecessor.