Melania Trump Once Showed Off A Totally Different Side With A Sassy Clapback At Donald

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Like his contemporary Prince Harry, Eric Trump is another younger son who has come out with a memoir bringing to light new insights into his famous family. Unlike the Duke of Sussex, however, the middle son of President Donald Trump paints his parents and siblings with a rose-colored brush. For instance, his book "Under Siege: My Family's Fight to Save Our Nation" details for the first time how Eric was present during Ivanka Trump's last moments. He cleaned the bloodstained staircase out of respect for his beloved mom. And unlike the prince, who opposed his dad's second marriage, Eric seems quite happy to have First Lady Melania Trump in his family circle. The book includes a cute anecdote which shows the seldom-seen humorous side of his second stepmom.

Eric and his wife, Fox News host Lara Trump, have two children, Luke and Carolina. Both were born during their grandfather's first administration, and so had the honor of having their baptisms held in the East Room of the White House — not to be confused with the East Wing, which Trump demolished to make way for his ballroom. Both Donald and Melania were there for the baptism, recalls Eric (as reprinted in The Mirror). "After the baptism, my father picked up his new grandson and held him for a photo," the book says. "Right on cue, and still dripping with water, Luke started to cry. Melania turned to him with a smile and took charge. 'Donald, you run the country,' she said as she gently took Luke and cradled him in her arms." Clearly, she knew her husband couldn't tariff his way out of a newborn meltdown.

Eric Trump's story about his son's baptism perfectly illustrates the dynamic of the first couple. Donald Trump has confessed that his parenting style consists of letting his children's mothers handle the daily details. "I mean, I won't do anything to take care of them," he told Howard Stern in a 2005 interview (per BuzzFeed). "I'll supply funds and she'll take care of the kids. It's not like I'm gonna be walking the kids down Central Park." No surprise, then, that the first lady stepped in to soothe her wailing step-grandson when the president seemed helpless. It's equally unsurprising that Melania Trump opted not to have more children after son Barron Trump was born. She told "Fox & Friends" in September 2024 (per YouTube), "Donald was encouraging [me] to have more, and I said, 'I'm completely fine with one,' because it's [a] very busy life, and I know how busy he is, and I'm in charge of everything." In other words, she was getting a bit tired of diaper duty herself.

Even so, the anecdote also proves where the first lady's heart truly lies. Melania's rare megawatt smile always comes out when she's with children. On most other public occasions, the first lady tends to come off as aloof. But on occasions such as the annual Easter Egg Roll, or when she joined Catherine, Princess of Wales, to meet a group of preschool Scouts on the Windsor Castle grounds, Melania seemed genuinely happy and engaged with her young audience. She's also comfortable enough around kids to toss a little shade at her husband for being less skilled at baby whispering — a bit of marital snark we wouldn't mind seeing more often.