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Boston Globe Has a Problem With Melania Trump Crossing Her Arms in White House Portrait

First Lady Melanie Trump White House portrait / Twitter
First Lady Melania Trump White House portrait / Twitter
April 5, 2017

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 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."

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.

Trump is not alone among recent White House residents to have their arms crossed for their official photo.

It is unclear if the Boston Globe penned an entire article about former President Obama's choice to do so.