President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump's "non-kiss" at his inauguration went viral on social media on Monday.
Why It Matters
The lack of PDA between the Trumps has been scrutinized in the past, including in May 2017 when Melania appeared to swat Trump's hand away while on a trip to Israel.
Melania Trump explained in her recently published memoir, Melania, that she swatted her husband's hand because he was walking in front of her with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, and "the red carpet simply could not accommodate four of us abreast."
"It was a minor innocent gesture, nothing more," she said.
What To Know
As Trump entered the swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol rotunda on Monday, he greeted his wife. Trump went to kiss her cheek but stopped inches away from her face. Melania's brimmed hat got in the way of their intimate moment, which later went viral on social media.
CSPAN social media senior specialist Jeremy Art shared a video of the interaction on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, and it has gotten nearly 570,000 views since 11:45 a.m. ET.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment on Monday.
Russian state news outlet RT shared a video of the moment on X, writing: "Donald Trump almost successfully kisses Melania. Someone doesn't want to ruin their makeup (we'll leave it up to you to decide who)."
Communications consultant Bárbara Tijerina wrote in Spanish alongside the video on X, "Melania and Trump's 'no kiss,'" adding the hashtag #LenguajeSinPalabras, or "language without words" in English.
Paul Szypula, a Trump supporter, wrote on X, "Trump gives Melania an air-kiss as not to mess up her gorgeous look. That's respect."
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, in his inaugural address on Monday: "We will stand bravely, we will live proudly, we will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans. The future's ours, and our golden age has just begun."
What Happens Next
Trump is expected to sign nearly 100 executive orders implementing his new agenda on Monday. These orders include closing the United States-Mexico border, ending the Russia-Ukraine war, reversing Biden-era climate policies and pardoning January 6 prisoners.
He also plans to issue executive orders renaming two prominent natural features on his first day as president. The Gulf of Mexico will be renamed the Gulf of America, while Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America, will revert to its previous federal name, Mount McKinley.
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