Michelle Obama Accused of Being 'Jealous' of Melania Trump

A TikTok user has accused Michelle Obama and her fellow first ladies of being "jealous" of Melania Trump as online discussion around Rosalynn Carter's funeral continues.

Trump, the wife of Donald Trump, joined former President Bill Clinton and past first ladies Obama, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush, as well as President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, to pay respects to Carter at her memorial service last week.

Her widower, former President Jimmy Carter, joined the high-profile mourners in the front row at the service, which was held in Atlanta on November 28. As photos emerged of the funeral, much was made on social media of Melania Trump donning a light gray coat amid a sea of black ensembles and jackets.

Melania Trump, Michelle Obama
Melania Trump on November 24, 2020, in Washington, D.C., and Michelle Obama on March 24, 2019, in Tacoma, Washington. Former first ladies, including Obama, have been accused of being "jealous" of Trump by a TikTok... MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images;/Jim Bennett/Getty Images

Joining the discourse, TikTok user @republicanlatina03 shared a video in which she accused the other four first ladies of being envious of Melania Trump.

"[They're] just jealous of Melania Trump and this just proves that the jealousy continues," she said, showing a photo of Melania Trump walking ahead of Obama and Bush. "That's why they hate her, because they can't be her. You hate what you cannot be. Melania Trump... is beautiful as always, super gorgeous."

@republicanlatina03 then cut to a photo from the service that showed sunshine landing on Melania Trump as she sat at the edge of the front row. "From all the darkness in the room, the only one who that had the light was Melania Trump," the TikTok user said, adding that "light is the truth and it's a hope."

The clip sparked spirited debate among TikTok users after it was shared late last week, with some agreeing with the sentiments and others pointing out the educational achievements of the other first ladies.

@republicanlatina03

MELANIA TRUMP WILL ALWAYS HAVE HATE BUT WE KNOW WHY 👀😎💋💋💋💄👸👸👸👸👸💕💕💕💕#melaniatrump #beauty #gorgous #unique #firstladymelaniatrump #oneandonly #hatersgonnahate #jelousy #youhateuscauseyouaintus

♬ original sound - Republicanlatina03

The claims made in the clip were countered by TikTok user @mrsjean01, who told @republicanlatina03 that she "must be real delusional to think that Michelle Obama gives two s**** about Melania Trump or that she is jealous of her. Girl, bye!

"Michelle Obama? Michelle Obama is probably the most decorated first lady ever... She is the forever first lady and you think that she is jealous of Melania? The girl that all you've got to do is daggone Google her name and you can see all her s***?"

The TikTok user appeared to be referencing Slovenian-born Melania Trump's nude photos in French men's magazine Max, which she posed for back in the 1990s, during her career as a model in Europe.

"Michelle Obama graduated from Harvard Law School. She got her PhD. She got her doctorate," the TikTok user went on. "What Melania Trump got? Not a damn thing!"

Addressing @republicanlatina03's assertion that Melania Trump stood out as "the only one who had the light" at the funeral, @mrsjean01 said: "No, she's the idiot—the only person in there that didn't wear black that is clearly supposed to be worn, is the preferred color when you're going to a... funeral.

"Her entitlement is like way the hell up there if she really thinks that she is that important that she needs to stand out. Don't nobody give a s*** about her. And let us not forget she stole Michelle Obama's speech back then."

Back in 2016, Melania Trump was accused of plagiarizing sections of a speech by Michelle Obama, wife of former President Barack Obama, when she spoke at the Republican National Convention that year.

Trump campaign staff writer Meredith McIver later accepted responsibility for adding Michelle Obama's words to the speech. She explained that Melania Trump had read passages from Michelle Obama's 2008 speech to McIver and she wrote them down and later included them in the speech. "No harm was meant," McIver said at the time.

Amid discussion around Melania Trump's decision to wear a gray coat to Rosalynn Carter's funeral, Fox News host Jesse Watters last week displayed a photo of the late first lady wearing a grayish top while attending the funeral of Richard Nixon in 1994.

He also shared a photo of Hillary Clinton wearing a gray coat just before sitting down at Barbara Bush's funeral in 2018, and another of Barbara Bush wearing a brighter coat at Ronald Reagan's funeral in 2004.

Subsequent photos of Barbara Bush and Hillary Clinton at those events indicate they wore black underneath, while it's unknown what Melania Trump wore beneath her coat last week. She didn't respond to Newsweek's emailed request for comment.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go