Melania Trump's UN Speech Confirms She Is the Imelda Marcos of Our Time

Yesterday, Melania Trump caused a bit of a ruckus when she delivered a speech at the United Nations about cyberbullying, which is rich, seeing as she’s married to both a cyberbully and an IRL bully who seems intent on ruining the lives of children who are immigrants, Muslim, live in North Korea, and/or want to have affordable healthcare. But there was another side to her speech—one that connects her to one of the most notorious first ladies in world history.

In the speech, Melania also discussed how terrible it is that children suffer from drug addiction, illiteracy, poverty, etc., saying:

No child should ever feel hungry, stalked, frightened, terrorized, bullied, isolated, or afraid, with nowhere to turn. We must teach each child the values of empathy and communication that are at the core of the kindness, mindfulness, integrity, and leadership which can only be taught by example. By our own example we must teach children to be good stewards of the world they will inherit.

It kind of feels like children are being taught that it is totally normal for ICE to detain parents of a two-month old baby awaiting surgery, but sure.

Many were quick to point out just how ironic it was for the First Lady to express that no child should ever feel hungry while wearing a bright pink $2,950 dress from Delpozo’s pre-fall 2017 collection. Which it is, though reading the room has never been one of Melania’s strong suits. But the real question is: Who wore it better? Melania or Imelda Marcos?

Here is Imelda, who had to leave her thousands of shoes behind when Filipinos revolted against her husband’s dictatorship, at the UN in 1976, talking about how bad greed is while wearing a lavish dress (sound familiar?).

And here she is talking about the rights of the child. (Fun headline from the Marcos years: “400 Filipino Children Dying Daily, Unicef Reports”)

You’re in great company, Mrs. Trump.

This post has been updated to remove a reference to the style of Imelda Marcos’ dress, which is a traditional Filipino design.