Melania Trump’s official White House portrait was unveiled on Monday, and the first lady means business. The former model put her talent in front of the camera to the test, acting as a commanding presence in the boardroom — and the White House.
Channeling her husband Donald Trump’s campaign of portraying strength, she was shot in black and white by Belgian photographer Régine Mahaux. Melania posed in a menswear-inspired look by Dolce & Gabbana with contemporary femininity: a tailored black blazer with wide satin lapels over an unbuttoned white top. The tuxedo was teamed with a Ralph Lauren cummerbund and trousers. She also chose Dolce & Gabbana for her 2017 portrait.
Melania Trump official White House portrait in 2025.
She’s seen leaning over a table, adding a boost of femininity with her body slightly leaning to show the curves in her silhouette. Add to that, an impeccable manicure skimming the table for a soft touch.
The look contrasts her official 2017 White House portrait, (and that of all first ladies who preceded her), also taken by Mahaux, where she’s seen wide-eyed and with a smile. In a statement to WWD, Mahaux said “Working with the first lady, is always a creative adventure and a great pleasure. She is really inspiring.”
Melania’s past photographers have also showered her with praise, describing her as a pleasant subject to shoot. Photographer Alexandre Alé de Basseville, who photographed the first lady nude during her modeling days in the ’90s, told WWD she was “super nice,” he said in an exclusive interview. “There were people on set for the lighting, makeup, hair and styling. She was really professional and really nice.”
Melania Trump official White House portrait in 2017
Melania’s photo is an iconoclast moment for first lady White House portraits, and it’s an image that has parallels to her husband Donald’s own 2025 White House portrait — his done with a scowl and furrowed brows that bare an uncanny resemblance to the World War I-era Uncle Sam military recruitment posters.
