Melania Trump reignites anger over 'I don't really care' jacket: 'It was kind of a message'
Fours months after Melania Trump caused an uproar by wearing the now-notorious “I don’t really care, do u?” jacket, the army green outwear is back in the news. This time, it’s intentional.
The reveal came during an ABC News exclusive titled Being Melania, in which Tom Llamas asked Trump what “compelled” her to wear the jacket on a trip to visit migrant children in detention centers — a move the internet called “distasteful” and “unbelievable.” At the time, Trump’s communications director denied claims that the jacket had a “hidden message.” Now, the first lady is saying otherwise.
“It was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me,” Trump told ABC of the Zara jacket. “And I wanna show them that I don’t care. You could criticize whatever you wanna say, but it will not stop me to do what I feel is right.” Trump was quick to clarify that she wasn’t trying to direct the sentiment toward the children she was visiting, nor toward the issue of detention. “It’s obvious I didn’t wear the jacket for the children,” she continued. “I wore the jacket to go on the plane and off the plane.”
Melania Trump tells @TomLlamasABC she wore the ‘I really don’t care’ jacket “for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me. And I want to show them that I don’t care.” #MelaniaTrump https://t.co/EqEyfZkJvZ pic.twitter.com/2EWeCKB0de
— ABC News (@ABC) October 13, 2018
She did, however, admit to playing to the internet’s fixation on it. “After the visit I put it back on because I see how media got obsessed about it,” she said. Trump ended the segment saying she wished that the media would turn their attention to the issues. “It — it was kind of a message, yes,” she said. “I would prefer that they would focus on what I do and on my initiatives than what I wear.”
While the first lady’s own spokesperson at the time denied that the jacket hid a meaning, there was one person who seemed to suggest that the jacket’s message was more than just an accident: the president himself. In a tweet from June 21, President Trump said that the jacket was a sign that she “truly no longer cares” about the “dishonest” media.
“I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” written on the back of Melania’s jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2018
The first lady’s reveal — although likely not surprising to some — did draw reactions from reporters on Twitter. But if we’ve learned anything from the ABC interview it’s this: She really doesn’t care.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Melania Trump thinks she’s the most bullied person in the world and Twitter isn’t sympathetic
Melania Trump’s menswear look in Africa inspires some praise — but mostly memes
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.