Melania Trump Slammed For Wearing Gray Coat At Rosalynn Carter's Funeral, Others Wore Black
Former first lady Melania Trump faced criticism for her choice of attire at the memorial service for Rosalynn Carter in Atlanta Tuesday.
Footage uploaded by Forbes showed that while Trump donned a gray look, other current and former first ladies, including Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton and Jill Biden, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris all opted for black outfits in adherence to the somber occasion.
The wife of former President Donald Trump attended the private tribute service at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church wearing a gray tweed overcoat with a small belt cinched around her waist and black heels.
Obama wore a black turtleneck with matching pants and a blazer, paired with black kitten heels and silver chunky hoops.
Bush chose a three-quarter sleeve black dress with an oversized pearl necklace and black open-toed shoes, while Clinton sported a buttoned-up oversized sweater coat with black slacks and heels.
Meanwhile, social media saw divided opinions on Melania's outfit choice, with some criticizing her for not adhering to the expected protocol of wearing black at a memorial service.
Critics called her "disrespectful" and accused her of seeking attention.
"Dear Melania," one critic on X, formerly Twitter, wrote. "Next funeral, just stay home. Your attention seeking is classless and not wanted. Everyone else wore black or dark blue, and you know that's protocol. If you didn't, your stylists did."
However, others defended Melania, emphasizing that the focus should be on honoring Carter rather than critiquing guests' attire. One X user called the former model "beautiful," while another described her as "simply stunning."
President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton also attended the service.
Former President Jimmy Carter, who is 99 and recently ceased medical intervention amid health challenges, made a rare public appearance, attending his late wife's memorial service.
Rosalynn, who battled dementia, passed away on Nov. 19 at the age of 96.
She died "peacefully" at her longtime Plains, Georgia, home "with her family by her side," said a news release from The Carter Center.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by their four children -- Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy -- and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The memorial service in Atlanta is part of a series of private and public events in Georgia, culminating in the funeral service and interment at the Carter family home in Plains.