When Donald and Melania Trump attended a July performance of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center—featuring a cast of understudies—it wasn’t the show that grabbed attention, but rather a fleeting moment caught on camera.
As the couple exited the venue, photographers captured the former president gripping what appeared to be only Melania’s thumb instead of her full hand. The photo quickly spread across social media, where users dissected every detail and speculated about what it meant.
Many observers suggested that Melania seemed reluctant to hold her husband’s hand, pointing to her stiff posture and apparent discomfort amid the protests and heckling that followed the couple during the event.
Within hours, the “thumb-hold” image went viral—becoming fodder for countless memes, jokes, and debates about the state of the Trumps’ relationship.
This wasn’t the first time Melania’s body language toward her husband had drawn public attention. Social media users recalled several past moments—like her brushing away Trump’s hand during a 2017 visit to Israel, or subtly pulling away at a 2020 debate—fueling ongoing chatter about their dynamic.
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Melania later addressed these viral incidents in her 2024 memoir Melania, writing that they were often misunderstood and usually stemmed from “practical circumstances” rather than any marital tension.
Still, the fascination endures. Every public appearance by the Trumps seems to generate intense scrutiny, with even the smallest gestures turned into headline material and online drama.
Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, speculation about the couple’s private life has only grown—especially regarding their sleeping arrangements. According to sources cited by The Washington Post, the Trumps are known to keep to themselves and reportedly maintain separate bedrooms.
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| Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images |
Journalist Michael Wolff, in his book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, described the former president as finding life in the White House “vexing and even a little scary,” noting that he retreated to his own bedroom—a rarity since the Kennedy era. Trump dismissed the book as “boring and untruthful,” but similar claims surfaced elsewhere.
First Lady historian Annette Dunlap told People that separate bedrooms weren’t unheard of among earlier presidential couples, noting that Richard and Patricia Nixon were the last to do so. In fact, Dunlap explained, sleeping apart was once considered a sign of sophistication rather than distance.
“It was kind of a European thing,” she said. “In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, sharing a bed was seen as a symbol of poverty—you simply couldn’t afford your own.”
Regardless of the truth behind the rumors, one thing remains clear: Donald and Melania Trump continue to captivate public curiosity, with every small moment sparking big conversations online.
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