Donald Trump seems to have had a packed schedule during his second term, which may explain why he didn’t manage to secure a birthday gift for his wife, Melania.
Given the demands of signing executive orders at the White House, it’s understandable that finding the ideal gift might fall by the wayside.
Moreover, dealing with issues like a federal judge’s criticism over deporting a child without proper process and being called a ‘disgrace’ at Pope Francis’ funeral could have been preoccupying his thoughts.
During a recent press conference, Trump was questioned by reporters about whether he had any special plans for Melania’s birthday on April 26.
Trump confessed that he was too occupied with matters like tariffs to shop for Melania.
Nonetheless, the President will not be without a plan for the First Lady’s birthday. He hinted at a grand gesture during the interview.
“I’ll take her to dinner on the Boeing, I’ll take her for dinner on Air Force One,” Trump shared with reporters on April 25.
“I haven’t had much time to buy presents. I’ve been pretty busy. But it’s working out. People are starting to understand how good tariffs are … for us.”
In light of the fictional portrayal of the White House staff in Netflix’s The Residence, it seems peculiar that none of Trump’s aides have taken on the responsibility of getting a gift for the First Lady. Perhaps Trump prefers a more personal touch for his birthday surprise.
Meanwhile, President Trump has been concentrating on implementing tariffs on imports, especially from China.
The ongoing trade conflict with China has led to the US imposing reciprocal tariffs. Initially, these tariffs surged to 145 percent and later to 245 percent. Trump’s strategy involved holding off on tariffs for other countries for 90 days as China increased tariffs on US goods to 125 percent and reduced rare earth exports.
Earlier in the week, Trump adjusted his stance on the tariffs for China, announcing that they would be reduced.
Speaking on April 22 in the Oval Office, he stated, “145 percent is very high and it won’t be that high. It won’t be anywhere near that high. It’ll come down substantially. But it won’t be zero.”