Donald Trump mightโve been celebrating his 79th birthday with tanks and marching bands, but all eyes were on a rare moment between him and Melania.
The couple, whoโve barely been seen together in public during Trumpโs second term, were finally pictured side by side at a military parade in Washington, D.C. over the weekend. The event was supposedly in honour of the U.S. Armyโs 250th anniversary, but conveniently also landed on Trumpโs birthday. He called it a โbig day.โ Spoiler: it wasnโt.
Photos showed a noticeably underwhelming crowd, with plenty of empty space along the parade route. Trump, who usually canโt resist a ramble, only spoke for eight minutes, even though he was meant to go for 15.
Seated between his wife and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump spent most of the event chatting with Hegseth. But according to a lip reader, one short exchange with Melania offered a glimpse into their private dynamic, and it was surprisingly wholesome.
โAre you cold?โ Trump appeared to ask his wife, according to lip-reading expert Nicola Hickling, who analysed the footage for the Daily Mail. Melania seemed to smile and respond: โNo, Iโm okay.โ Trump gave a small nod in return.
Itโs hardly pillow talk, but for a couple often rumoured to be frosty behind closed doors, it was something. And that wasnโt the only PDA on display.
Body language expert Judi James told The Irish Star that Melania seemed more present and engaged than usual, even showing rare signs of affection toward her husband.
โMelaniaโs body language was something of a small revelation at the parade,โ James said. โNot only was she displaying subtle signals of taking a more assertive role with her husband, but there was also a very unusual and eye-catching PDA.โ
The big move? Placing her hand on Trumpโs thigh, twice. According to James, it couldโve been a gesture of closeness, or even a subtle act of control.
โShe couldโve been trying to console him,โ James added. โIt mightโve been his birthday treat, or maybe just a soft landing after the bash didnโt quite deliver on crowd size or vibes.โ
Later, Trump returned the favour, reportedly resting his hand on Melaniaโs lap.
For a couple thatโs often made headlines for looking like theyโd rather be anywhere else, it was a moment of uncharacteristic tenderness, even if it came at a parade with more tanks than fans.
So while the party mightโve flopped, Trump at least got one birthday gift: Melania letting him know she wasnโt cold, and maybe still isnโt giving him the cold shoulder.
