Melania Trump launches 'Be Best' campaign focusing on children's wellbeing, social media
Updated
In a rare twist on their White House roles, first lady Melania Trump has commanded the Rose Garden lectern while her husband watched from the audience.
Key points:
- Ms Trump will focus on childhood wellbeing, social media, bullying and opioid abuse
- Modern first ladies typically highlight personal causes
- The President's press secretary hit back at claims Mr Trump's name-calling on Twitter has worsened online bullying
Ms Trump took centre stage to launch her 'Be Best' public awareness campaign to help children, including discouraging cyber bullying.
Her choice of issues had earlier raised eyebrows given US President Donald Trump's use of Twitter to attack his political opponents.
Ms Trump said the campaign would focus on childhood wellbeing, social media use and opioid abuse.
"As a mother and as first lady, it concerns me that in today's fast-paced and ever-connected world, children can be less prepared to express or manage their emotions and oftentimes turn to forms of destructive or addictive behaviour such as bullying, drug addiction or even suicide," she said.
"I feel strongly that as adults, we can and should 'be best' at educating our children about the importance of a healthy and balanced life," she added.
Mr Trump embraced his wife after she finished her speech and kissed her cheeks five times in a rare public display of affection, before Mr Trump signed a proclamation declaring the day Be Best day.
The first lady invited representatives of major online and social media companies to the White House in March to discuss internet safety, a meeting that came more than a year after she promised to use her White House platform to discourage cyberbullying.
Her choice was ridiculed almost immediately, given her husband's habit of name-calling on Twitter, but Ms Trump said at the meeting that she wouldn't be discouraged from doing what she thinks is right.
Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pushed back against the notion that the President has worsened online bullying.
"When it comes to kids, this is something that has been problematic, and something that we have seen over the last decade," Ms Sanders said.
"And the first lady sees it to be an important issue, and something that she wants to address."
'The first lady lives in the White House'
The first lady's event came as the White House pushed back against a published report that referenced rumours Ms Trump does not live with the President, with Ms Sanders denouncing it as "outrageous" and "ridiculous".
"The first lady lives here at the White House. We see her regularly," Ms Sanders told reporters.
"I think that's something that belongs in tabloid gossip."
The first lady lived full-time in New York during the administration's opening months so the couple's son, Barron, now 12, would not have to change schools midyear.
She and Barron moved into the White House last June and since then the first lady has gradually been raising her public profile.
The couple's relationship has also come under intense scrutiny as the President faces questions over $US130,000 ($173,000) in hush money paid by one of his attorneys to a porn actress who says she had sex with Mr Trump in 2006.
Modern first ladies typically highlight personal causes.
Nancy Reagan encouraged kids to "Just Say No" to drugs, while Barbara Bush and Laura Bush emphasised literacy and education.
Michelle Obama launched her "Let's Move" campaign against childhood obesity about a year after moving to the White House.
AP
Topics: government-and-politics, donald-trump, social-media, community-and-society, addictive, children, family-and-children, child-health-and-behaviour, united-states
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