It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas again at the White House, and this year came with a familiar face stepping back into a role she once famously complained about. Back in 2020, Melania Trump was caught on a leaked recording saying, “Who gives a f*** about Christmas stuff and decorations?” Yet five years later, here she is, returning to the north driveway to welcome this year’s Christmas tree and officially kick off the holiday season.
On November 24, the massive evergreen arrived by horse-drawn carriage from Michigan. Melania greeted it in full holiday-ready style. She wore a belted, calf-length Dior coat, long red gloves, and a pair of plaid printed pumps that many fashion watchers immediately recognized. These shoes have history. She first wore them at a Toys for Tots event in 2020, pairing them with crisp white pants and a navy blazer for a clean, classic look.
Loving the shoes today!
— FLOTUS Report (@MELANIAJTRUMP) December 8, 2020
Plaid Manolo Blahnik BB pumps#FashionoftheFirstLady pic.twitter.com/TSKuGkCoxL
This time, the shoes played a different role. The bold coat and striking gloves made the pumps feel almost understated by comparison, which isn’t easy for red-and-white plaid heels. The shift in styling suggests she may be leaning into brighter, bolder fashion choices — a notable contrast to some widely criticized outfits she wore earlier in 2025. If anything, today’s look gave off the vibe of someone leaning into the season instead of shying away from it.
Whether the mood shift is genuine holiday cheer or simply a well-timed distraction from what’s happening around Donald Trump, Melania stayed fully in character for the public moment. She smiled, waved, and stood alone for the cameras. And in a rare embrace of the tradition she once dismissed, she even offered a bit of enthusiasm. “It will be beautiful! We are going to plan, and it’s starting today,” she said, according to the New York Post.
Her holiday spirit may or may not be new, but one thing definitely hasn’t changed: her shoe size. The tartan pumps she wore — from Manolo Blahnik and listed at nearly $900 — are clearly favorites, and re-wearing them was a practical move considering the price tag. For someone known for high-end fashion moments, these shoes were worth bringing back.
For now, Melania seems content to step into the holiday spotlight again, even if it’s a role she once admitted she loathed. Whether the Grinch’s heart really “grew three sizes” since 2020 is up for debate, but her wardrobe certainly suggests she came ready to play along.
