First Lady Melania Trump visited the “Children’s Inn” in Maryland on Wednesday (February 11) to celebrate Valentine’s Day in advance with young patients and their families. The institution is a non-profit organization that provides free accommodation for children and their families participating in clinical trials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
This is not Melania’s first visit to the institution. She had previously attended the Valentine’s Day activities at the institution in 2018, 2019, and 2020. This visit marks her fourth time visiting and is the first during her husband Donald Trump’s second presidential term.
At the start of the event, Melania was warmly welcomed by an 11-year-old Palestinian patient named Lina, who presented her with a large bouquet of roses. Melania graciously responded, “Thank you very much. I am delighted to celebrate Valentine’s Day with you.”
Before the celebration, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the Director of NIH, met with the patients and their families. The event aimed to honor patients undergoing treatment and healthcare professionals dedicated to rare disease therapy development.
In a statement, Melania expressed, “Love is shown in various forms, especially in times of caring and difficulty.”
She noted, “The Children’s Inn provides crucial support for children diagnosed with rare serious illnesses. Returning to the NIH Children’s Inn, I particularly felt the warmth that fills this place throughout the year. This is due to the resilience of these children and the dedicated spirit of the staff who provide comfort, hope, and support during clinical trials. Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone!”
During the event, the First Lady sat down with the young patients to chat about their favorite leisure activities and helped them create Valentine’s Day crafts with pink and red heart shapes.
A heartwarming moment occurred when a young male patient asked Melania how he should address her and jokingly said, “You can tell who the Queen is at a glance.” Melania laughed heartily and warmly replied that she should be called “Melania.”
Melania was dressed in a beige wool shirt-style dress with gold buttons, paired with a deep red belt and beige snakeskin heels on that day. She offered advice to the group present, encouraging children and young people to “stay strong” and emphasizing the importance of “boldly stating their needs.”
Furthermore, when the conversation turned to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Melania advised caution, stating, “While it is convenient, it can also be very dangerous.”
As the event concluded, Melania joined the young patients in filling containers with candies and chocolates, filling the air with laughter and warmth. They then signed a decorated poster and gathered for a group photo.
Jennie Lucca, the CEO of the Children’s Inn, stated, “We are honored to welcome First Lady Melania Trump back to the Children’s Inn.”
Lucca added, “Her visit brings joy and comfort to the children and families here during this empathetic and encouraging occasion. This Valentine’s Day celebration reminds us warmly that our families are always surrounded by care, support, and hope throughout the entire medical journey.”
Since 1990, the Children’s Inn has been dedicated to providing free accommodation services for families participating in research at the NIH Clinical Center.