Melania Trump is facing renewed claims of plagiarism from Michelle Obama after sharing an X photo of the White House North Lawn fountain glowing emerald green to mark St Patrick's Day 2026. Posted on Tuesday, the image, with its crisp caption 'Saint Patrick's Day 2026', has drawn sharp online fire for mirroring a decorative tradition Michelle Obama kicked off in 2009.
Michelle drew the idea from her native Chicago, where the city dyes its river vivid green each March 17 in a boisterous nod to Irish heritage, a practice dating back to 1962 when plumbers stumbled on a non‑toxic dye that turned the waterway festive without the usual ecological mess. Her White House take adapted it for the South Lawn fountain, creating an instant visual hit that bridged politics and pageantry. Few Obama innovations crossed over to subsequent administrations, making this one a curious survivor.
