Home Australia More Michelle Obama rumors… Ivanka Trump’s wardrobe malfunction… and the Lauren Sanchez problem: TOM LEONARD spills all the behind-the-scenes inauguration drama

More Michelle Obama rumors… Ivanka Trump’s wardrobe malfunction… and the Lauren Sanchez problem: TOM LEONARD spills all the behind-the-scenes inauguration drama

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Trump had barely sat down when it became clear that the Capitol's sound system had broken, leaving singer Carrie Underwood to save the day and sing 'America The Beautiful' a cappella.

For half an hour of MAGA ecstasy and Democratic misery, Trump’s rhetoric soared to the top of the Capitol’s 180-foot rotunda.

“America’s golden age begins right now,” he told an audience that never missed a moment in standing and applauding wildly. “Starting today, our country will flourish and be respected again around the world.”

The man who insisted that, after escaping an assassin’s bullet last year, he was “saved by God to make America great again” painted a picture of America that would surely make any patriot cry.

The American dream was “back and thriving like never before,” Trump declared, as “the greatest civilization in history” rediscovered such greatness as “a mighty republic of the most extraordinary citizens on Earth” whose “power will stop all wars…our golden age is over.” It’s just begun.’

Maybe not yet. Because Trump had barely sat down when it became clear that the Capitol’s sound system had broken, leaving singer Carrie Underwood to save the day and sing ‘America The Beautiful’ a cappella.

It was another minor setback for a president who had previously valiantly tried to kiss the face of a First Lady whose wide-brimmed hat rejected his advances.

You can’t do everything your way.

Whether protected by divine intervention or not, Donald Trump has made the most astonishing political comeback and today was the time to sit back and enjoy it.

Trump had barely sat down when it became clear that the Capitol’s sound system had broken, leaving singer Carrie Underwood to save the day and sing ‘America The Beautiful’ a cappella.

It was another minor setback for a president who had previously valiantly attempted to kiss the face of a new First Lady whose wide-brimmed hat accidentally repelled his advance.

It was another minor setback for a president who had previously valiantly attempted to kiss the face of a new First Lady whose wide-brimmed hat accidentally repelled his advance.

Few of us at the Capitol (myself included) to witness his first inauguration in 2017 could have imagined we would see another Trump swearing-in.

After all, we knew that even he had been surprised by his shocking victory over Hillary Clinton and almost all pundits considered the Trump phenomenon a mere aberration. Normal service would resume as soon as possible.

Instead, it is Trumpism that has resumed, and today’s second inauguration brimmed with the confidence and conviction that the first lacked eight years ago.

At least the United States has been spared another dispute over who is more numerous at the inauguration. The bitter cold ended any repeat of Trump’s tenacious 2017 claims that challenged the notion that Barack Obama had drawn more people to Washington’s National Mall for his 2009 inauguration ceremony.

With the inauguration moved inside the Capitol (and other celebrations inside the city’s Capital One stadium), Trump had a ready excuse not to break any records this time.

However, Trump clearly places a premium on crowd size and admitted at one point on Monday that he didn’t really want the inauguration to be moved indoors.

Although he could at least take solace in knowing that the weather also kept Democrats looking for trouble away.

Washington officials had previously reported that applications for protest permits had been slow, and while a few thousand attended a “People’s March” on Saturday and another anti-Trump protest on Monday, there was no repeat of the sprawling People’s March. Women in Washington the day after his 2017 swearing-in, which attracted an estimated 500,000 women wearing his memorable pink ‘pussyhats’.

Trump could certainly say that this time he opted for quality over quantity.

A president who clearly likes to surround himself with attractive, wealthy people was blessed with the attendance not only of the permanently tanned MAGA elite of Palm Beach and Miami, but also the tech kings of Silicon Valley. Some of the world’s richest men – including Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and Apple’s Tim Cook – got many of the best seats in the Capitol Rotunda and gave back favor by joining the endless standing ovations.

It was a surprising turnaround for a group of billionaires who just a few years ago were ardent Democrats whose industry regarded Donald with horror.

And we must not forget the consorts of the technicians. Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos’ helicopter-flying fiancée, managed to upstage all the usual discussions about the Trump women’s outfits with hers.

The busty 55-year-old, whose wardrobe never seems anything other than figure-hugging, wore a white Alexander McQueen pantsuit over a daring white lace bustier. Social media erupted with complaints that her ‘bra’ was totally inappropriate for an official occasion.

—My God, Lauren Sánchez. Save them for a day,” said one commenter. Others joked that she was dressed by Victoria’s Secret.

Mark Zuckerberg, sitting next to her in the rotunda, seemed at times not to know where to look.

For others, Sánchez’s outfit only served to highlight the style of Melania Trump, the former model who wore a much more sober navy silk wool coat custom made by Adam Lippes and, of course, that wide-brimmed hat, which served the additional function of hiding their expressions. .

Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos' helicopter-flying fiancée, certainly managed to upstage all the usual discussions about the Trump women's outfits with hers. Social media erupted with complaints that her 'bra' was totally inappropriate for an official occasion.

Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos’ helicopter-flying fiancee, certainly managed to upstage all the usual discussions about the Trump women’s outfits with hers. Social media erupted with complaints that her ‘bra’ was totally inappropriate for an official occasion.

Mark Zuckerberg, sitting next to her in the rotunda, seemed at times not to know where to look.

Mark Zuckerberg, sitting next to her in the rotunda, seemed at times not to know where to look.

Meanwhile, Ivanka Trump was also the victim of mockery on social media, as some commentators found an unpleasant similarity between her forest green Dior skirt suit with the outfits worn by the wives of oppressive leaders in the dystopian TV series The Handmaid’s Tale.

The president’s eldest daughter, 53, had already sparked ire, this time directed primarily at fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, after wearing several of de la Renta’s outfits during the pre-inauguration festivities. weekend.

Trump’s furious opponents ridiculously called for a “boycott” of the designer’s clothing. (Usha Vance, the wife of the new vice president, wore a pale pink de la Renta suit to the inauguration ceremony.)

One woman, however, drew attention not for her appearance but for her absence at the inauguration. Michelle Obama broke with the usual tradition of having former presidents and their spouses attend each swearing-in ceremony, leaving Barack to enter the Capitol alone.

Although Michelle has not given any explanation for her absence, sources close to the former first lady emphasize that she has distanced herself from public life and certainly does not want to return to it to honor Trump.

“You shouldn’t exaggerate your feelings for him,” a source close to Michelle told People magazine.

Ivanka Trump was also the victim of mockery on social media, as some commentators found an unpleasant similarity between her forest green Dior skirt suit and the outfits worn by the wives of oppressive leaders in the dystopian television series The Handmaid's Tale. .

Ivanka Trump was also the victim of mockery on social media, as some commentators found an unpleasant similarity between her forest green Dior skirt suit and the outfits worn by the wives of oppressive leaders in the dystopian television series The Handmaid’s Tale. .

Trump certainly won’t miss her and neither will his supporters who, watching live footage at the Capital One Arena, booed loudly when they saw Barack arrive at the Capitol.

For Trump, who later appeared at the stadium to sign some of the 100 executive orders just hours after taking office, the day provided ample opportunities to do what he loves most: talk.

He indeed gave two inauguration speeches: one from a teleprompter in the rotunda and another improvised and more rambling speech later in the Capitol visitor center in which he criticized his enemies, complained about Biden’s last-minute pardons and referred to MAGA supporters jailed for their role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol as ‘hostages.’

Ironically, some of those ‘hostages’ returned to DC last night, only this time to celebrate rather than to agitate.

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