Politics
Lily Puckett
Jun 10, 2021
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Jill Biden wore a jacket with the word LOVE printed on it on Thursday, and many are speculating if the outfit is a direct response to a certain former first lady’s apparel.
While in Cornwall, England for the G7 Summit, the first lady and the president were photographed gazing into the water with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie. While Joe Biden wore a traditional suit, the first lady opted for the decorative jacket.
On Twitter, many are wondering if the suit is meant to declare something to Melania Trump, who infamously wore a jacket with text reading “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” while visiting the US-Mexico border during a heated immigration debate.
Melania was photographed boarding a plane in June 2018 in the $39 Zara jacket, in the midst of national outrage over the treatment of immigrants from Latin and South America who were entering the US, particularly children.
After photographs and video of children who had been separated from their families being kept in cages with little comfort circulated the country, the call to end family separation at the border - and provide better care for migrants in general - became a major battle cry for the left against the Trump administration.
The Biden administration is still attempting to reunite some of these families, but the process is not expected to be fully corrected, and the trauma is, of course, unable to be corrected.
The jacket stirred intense fury, and particularly startled those on the left side of politics who had, for some reason, convinced themselves that Melania was somehow not on board with her husband’s policies.
Jill Biden has spent much of her time as first lady presenting herself as a stark contrast to former first lady. On Wednesday, she sparked outrage by tweeting that she was “prepping for G7” alongside a photo of her reading the newspaper. Republicans claimed this was a step too far for the first day. But the clothing choice she made Thursday feels like fairly direct, and intentional, opposition to her predecessor.
It’s another largely symbolic gesture from Dr. Biden, however, that liberals are excited about, akin to her Valentine’s Day decorations at the White House, which also celebrated the concept of love.
It’s worth noting that the Biden administration, as recently as Monday, is still pushing a harsh immigration policy. Speaking in Guatemala during her first visit abroad as Vice President, Kamala Harris told migrants “Do not come here,” about America.
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