First Lady Melania Trump visited a group of children at a National Institutes of Health facility, and according to one report, it led to some awkward moments.
According to Raw Story, Melania “celebrated Valentine’s Day on Wednesday by visiting a group of children receiving medical care who appeared to be very quiet around her.”
The First Lady went to the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. When the room was quiet, Melania said, “Don’t be so quiet. It’s a celebration day, right?”
First Lady of the United States Melania Trump Attends a Valentine’s Day Event at the NIH Children’s Inn in Bethesda, Maryland pic.twitter.com/Fb6iAUINVi
— The DC MD VA Live (@TheDMVLive) February 11, 2026
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The Raw Story article noted that while the First Lady visited an NIH facility, “the Trump administration has made significant National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding cuts during his first and second terms, reducing funding for medical research programs and scientific initiatives as part of broader efforts to decrease federal spending. These NIH funding reductions drew criticism from the scientific and medical communities, who have warned that decreased research funding would slow progress on disease research, drug development, and public health initiatives.”
Also at that event, per The Mirror, one young man actually flirted with the First Lady, telling her, “I don’t play chess, but I know a queen when I see one,” leading to laughs from the room and a smile from Melania. This led some on social media to state that the First Lady never smiles at her husband like that.
Donald ain’t never said that in his life lol https://t.co/RCzX1uDWVF
— Josh (@JustJoshinYaCam) February 12, 2026
The visit comes after the First Lady’s documentary, Melania, had a notable second-weekend drop at the box office, falling 67 percent in the domestic box office.
“Melania’ grossed $2.37 million in its second weekend, falling from third place to ninth place. The film saw more theaters with showings compared to its opening weekend and as a result the per theater average fell to $431 on Friday, $521 on Saturday and $234 on Sunday, compared to averages of $1,609, $12,95 and $1,122 for the opening weekend’s Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively,” Benzinga reported.
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
