Michelle Obama Breaks Down That Awkward Gift Moment With Melania Trump at the Inauguration
Consider this a lovely thought that was, unfortunately, upstaged by a huh? heard round the world: At last year’s presidential inauguration, outgoing First Lady Michelle Obama was on the receiving end of an unexpected gift—which came in the form of a large Tiffany & Co. box—from incoming First Lady Melania Trump. Any other day of the week, this robin’s-egg-blue surprise would’ve likely made Obama happy—but this was the presidential inauguration, where strict protocols are in place. Protocols that don’t account for the unexplained presence of gifts.
Still, Obama was as gracious as she could’ve been in the situation, appreciatively receiving the gift while looking around for someone to take it. Still, the moment quickly went viral thanks to her flummoxed facial expression. Now, appearing on Ellen in her first television interview since leaving the White House, Obama admitted she was indeed caught off-guard by the inauguration day present. (Oh, and the gift ended up being a “lovely” picture frame, if you’re curious.)
“Well, there’s all this protocol. I mean, this is like a state visit, so they tell you that you’re going to do this, they’re going to stand here,” she explained to Ellen DeGeneres. “Never before do you get this gift, so I’m sort of like, okay.” Her thought in the moment was, frankly, to just get the box to a neutral location.
“What am I supposed to do with this gift? And everyone cleared out and no one would come and take the box. And I’m thinking, Do we take the picture with?” she continued. “And then my husband saved the day—see, he grabbed the box and took it back inside. But everybody cleared out. No staff, no one. I was like, What do you do with the box?”
The only remaining question: What did this former FLOTUS opt to put in the frame? Maybe a handsome photo of Bo? Or one of Malia at Harvard? It’s anyone’s guess.