Melania Trump didn’t write her own thank you notes to White House staff

Melania Trump has been criticised for asking a lower-level White House staffer to write her personal thank you notes to staff who looked after her family for years.

Melania Trump reportedly chose to outsource the writing of traditional “thank you” notes given to White House residence staff on her departure.

It has become a custom for first ladies, and some presidents as well, to write cards or short letters to thank the butlers, cooks, housekeepers, ushers and maintenance workers at the White House, who look after them during their time in office.

These notes often include personal anecdotes and become cherished keepsakes for the staff, especially the ones they get to know extremely well, CNN reported.

However, Mrs Trump reportedly asked a lower-level East Wing staffer to write her notes “in her voice” and she signed her name.

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Melania Trump chose not to write her own personal thank you notes to White House staff. Picture: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

White House staff often cherish the traditionally highly personalised thank you notes.

It comes as a CNN poll showed Mrs Trump left the White House with the worst popularity rating for any first lady at the end of her term in polling history.

Mrs Trump and husband Donald Trump left the White House at about 8.20am (local time), three hours ahead of the inauguration of incoming President Joe Biden.

The first lady walked a short red carpet at the White House with her husband before boarding Marine One for the helicopter ride to Joint Base Andrews.

She wore a designer Chanel jacket and black sunglasses on her departure from the White House, with the pricey outfit complimented by a $60,000 black crocodile Hermes Birkin bag.

On their arrival at the base, Mrs Trump appeared in a bright patterned kaftan-style dress that was torn apart by savage social media users who described her orange dress as resembling a “70s kitchen”. The long-sleeve Gucci maxi dress reportedly cost $5290.

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Outgoing US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania arrive at Palm Beach International Airport. Picture: Alex Edelman/AFP

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Mr Trump was greeted at Joint Base Andrews by a small crowd of supporters, staff and family members after a 21-gun salute and a serenade of Hail To The Chief.

Mr Trump said: “This has been an incredible four years.

“We’ve accomplished so much together,” he said.

“I will always fight for you.

“It is my greatest honour and privilege to have been your president,” he said.

“We will be back in some form.”

The 74-year-old has hinted at running for president again in 2024, but faces an impeachment trial in the Senate over his role in the January 6 storming of the US Capitol by his supporters and thus a potential ban on holding office in the future.

Mr Trump and his wife boarded Air Force One after his remarks and the presidential jet took off for the two-hour flight to Florida as Frank Sinatra’s My Way played on loudspeakers on the tarmac on a sunny but chilly day.

The former president was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when 78-year-old Mr Biden was sworn in at noon (local time) as the 46th president of the United States.

Mr Trump is the first president in more than 150 years to snub the inauguration of his successor.

He did not address Mr Biden by name in his remarks but said he wishes the new administration “great luck and great success”.

A White House spokesman said Mr Trump, in keeping with tradition, had left a letter for Biden in the Oval Office.

Mr Trump repeatedly and falsely claimed that he won the November 3 election and he was impeached for a second time by the House of Representatives after his supporters stormed the Capitol in a bid to disrupt the certification by Congress of Biden’s victory.

– with AFP