On 17 April 2017, a video circulated on social media that appeared to show First Lady Melania Trump subtly cue her husband, President Donald Trump, reminding him to place his right hand over his heart when the U.S. national anthem began playing during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll event:
That's a subtle nudge from Melania to remind Trump to lift his hand during the national anthem... https://t.co/P9XlYpjvcQ
— Daniella Diaz (@DaniellaMicaela) April 17, 2017
The president, his wife, and their 10-year-old son Barron were celebrating the venerable Easter egg tradition at the nation's capital, and as the first strains of "The Star-Spangled Banner" were heard, it appeared Mrs. Trump reached out with her left hand and touched her husband's right hand, reminding him to place it over his heart in keeping with protocol.
The video prompted some viewers to compare the event to the brouhaha over a similar instance involving then-Senator Barack Obama in 2007, when an image was circulated showing the presidential candidate standing with his hands clasped in front of him during the anthem rather than placing them over his heart.
Melania and Barron Trump were visiting D.C. from their home at Trump Tower in New York City, which they have decided to keep as their primary residence rather than living in Washington — a choice that has spurred some critics to protest the high security costs involved in maintaining an additional home for the First Couple separate from the White House.