US First Lady Melania Trump visited the Children’s National Hospital on Wednesday, July 3, as part of the Independence Day outreach activities, engaging with child patients in a heartwarming arts and crafts session. The visit came a day before the United States marked its 250th Independence Day, with major celebrations and a bill signing ceremony scheduled at the White House.
During her visit, the 55-year-old First Lady met with around ten inpatients and outpatients at the hospital, offering teddy bears and other gifts to each child. As part of the interaction, Melania chatted with the children about their favorite foods, sports, and musicians.
When one child enthusiastically mentioned pop icon Taylor Swift as their favorite artist, Melania responded warmly, saying, “She is very talented.” Another child expressed admiration for singer Sabrina Carpenter, to which the First Lady replied, “She’s great too.”
Melania used the opportunity to speak with the children about the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, asking them what the occasion was. One child excitedly answered, “Independence Day!” In response, she told the group that a “big party” was planned at the White House and invited them to “maybe come next year” to celebrate together.
Melania’s praise for Taylor Swift comes weeks after President Donald Trump publicly attacked the singer. During a trip back from the Middle East in May, Trump took a jab at Swift on social media, writing, “Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’. Swift, known for her political activism in recent years, notably endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 US presidential elections, drawing the ire of some conservatives.