First Lady Melania Trump's official White House portrait came under fire from the Boston Globe on Tuesday, with the newspaper publishing an article on the negative reaction of "social media denizens" to her crossed arms and faint smile.
Writer Beth Teitell contrasted the former model's runway-like expression with the bright smiles of past first ladies like Michelle Obama and Laura Bush in their photos, and she also quoted an author who took exception to Trump's 25-carat diamond ring.
"You would think that she, or her handlers, although there aren't that many, would look at the very prominent placement of this giant diamond ring, and you would think that would give them pause," [Kate Andersen] Brower said. "The president's message is about getting jobs for working-class voters."
Then again, she added, the first lady is not downplaying glamour.
"For his voter base," Brower said, "it's aspirational."
The White House released an official portrait of Melania Trump. So what’s with the crossed arms? https://t.co/H7UszrNJjL pic.twitter.com/R2SxcdZimS
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) April 4, 2017
The White House has released the official portrait of Melania Trump. And people are talking. https://t.co/Q4c0IEJdbI pic.twitter.com/kZ6cEu5BAu
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) April 5, 2017
With a 25-carat diamond ring but no smile, Melania Trump’s official portrait is not typical first lady style. https://t.co/mPEAZvQfEG pic.twitter.com/MRgxM5mMJJ
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) April 4, 2017
What’s with the crossed arms in Melania Trump’s portrait? https://t.co/qnMwsRUCDg via @BostonGlobe
— Beth Teitell (@BethTeitell) April 4, 2017
The author also quoted the following tweet from @Alt_FedEmployee, whose bio includes that he or she is a lover of facts and "hates [President] Trump."
Know what would be beautiful? A picture of first lady Melania Trump actually living in the WH and not wasting millions of taxpayer dollars. pic.twitter.com/vNY1ns0LFZ
— Alt Fed Employee (@Alt_FedEmployee) April 3, 2017
A Boston photographer in the piece "immediately noticed" Trump's crossed arms.
Boston portrait photographer Ryuji Suzuki, of Beaupix Studio, immediately noticed the first lady's crossed arms and distant gaze in the new portrait.
"There are different opinions about people crossing their arms in portraits," he said. "If you do it right, you might add a powerful impression, but it often gives you distance. If you want to be friendly and approachable you probably wouldn't pose like this."
Others criticized the newspaper for being petty.
Leave it to the Boston Globe to criticize the First Lady for having "crossed her arms". People actually get paid to write this trash. https://t.co/BFvnqEA6oE
— Nick Short (@PoliticalShort) April 5, 2017
crossed arms symbolizes American contempt for hacks posing as news
- like @BostonGlobe @NBCNews @CBSNews @MSNBC @Newsweek @TIME etc... pic.twitter.com/2mboZRFlUz— CYBORG (@za53051202) April 5, 2017
@BostonGlobe Wow. That's really strange. Were her arms actually crossed? Wow. That's some hard hitting journalism
— Martin Brown (@mbrown5977) April 5, 2017
You CANNOT fool those "reporters" over @BostonGlobe. Breaking News!!Melania Trump has two arms. She crossed them. Film at 11. https://t.co/TNr4HiwtoB
— Barry J Collins (@BJCollins131) April 5, 2017
@BostonGlobe So what's with the crossed arms?? What kind of idiotic question is that? Lemme guess, you have a degree in Psychbabble, too? Thought so. 🙄
— SmittySmittyBangBang (@tsracewife) April 5, 2017
Trump is not alone among recent White House residents to have their arms crossed for their official photo.
@BostonGlobe Ahem. pic.twitter.com/NI6PXYyTcd
— Donny Ferguson (@DonnyFerguson) April 5, 2017
It is unclear if the Boston Globe penned an entire article about former President Obama's choice to do so.