First lady Melania Trump took the stage at a cyberbullying summit as part of her Be Best campaign Monday — on the same morning as President Donald Trump attacked a Department of Justice official on Twitter.
In her remarks at the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Cyberbullying Prevention Summit, she warned against the "destructive and harmful" effects of using social media "incorrectly."
"Let’s face it: most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults, but we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits," she said, praising programs such as Microsoft’s Council for Digital Good, a panel of teens that works to bring issues like sextortion to the government's attention.
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Wearing a pussy-bow blouse, Melania also promoted Be Best, a three-part initiative focusing on "wellbeing, social media, and opioid abuse," which she launched back in May. "Be Best chooses to focus on the importance of teaching our next generation how to conduct themselves safely and in a positive manner in an online setting," she said.
.@FLOTUS Melania Trump: "Social media is an eventful part of our children's daily lives. It can be used in many positive ways but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly." pic.twitter.com/AnMbBhHVR0
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 20, 2018
Meanwhile, the president spent the morning calling Robert Mueller's special counsel investigation into dealings with Russia a "Rigged Witch Hunt," as well as disparaging Democrats, former CIA director John Brennan, and Bruce Ohr, the Justice Department official with ties to the infamous Steele Dossier.
Less than a week ago, the president called his former employee Omarosa Manigault-Newman — who recently said there's a recording in which he used the n-word multiple times — a "lowlife" and a "dog" on Twitter. "When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn't work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog!" he tweeted.
In summary: The first lady promoted anti-cyberbullying initiatives while her husband went on a tweetstorm in which he attacked multiple people in personal way.
Asked by a White House pool reporter about this seeming hypocrisy, Stephanie Grisham, Melania's communications director, said:
"The first lady’s presence at events such as today's cyberbullying summit elevates an issue that is important to children and families across this country. She is aware of the criticism but it will not deter her from doing what she feels is right. The president is proud of her commitment to children and encourages her in all that she does."