President Donald Trump made an unusual revelation about his relationship with First Lady Melania Trump during an event in Iowa on Thursday, sharing a personal exchange from what he described as private moments, including bedtime. However, the moment wasn’t exactly romantic.
Trump shared that he often calls his wife “first lady” even in private, including when saying goodnight. He explained that he uses the title not out of formality but because it reminds him of his role as President of the United States. He said:
“One year ago, I remember saying to our great first lady, I said, ‘you know, first lady,’” Trump recalled. “I call her ‘first lady’ because it makes me feel good. ‘First lady.’ Isn’t it terrible? Saying, ‘Good night, first lady, my darling’?”
A Serious Discussion Behind the Humor
Trump didn’t just share the quirky pet name. He also tied it to a larger point about military recruitment, expressing frustration over what he saw as a lack of interest in joining the U.S. military. He explained:
“Because it reminds me that I’m president,” Trump continued. “That’s why. Now, I said, ‘First lady, it’s terrible. Nobody wants to join our military force.’”
Despite the casual tone, Trump then took credit for a reported increase in military enlistments, though CBS News notes that recruitment numbers have been recovering from pandemic-era lows for some time, including before Trump’s election victory last year.