Why Melania Trump’s recent New Year’s selfie was such an unusual move

Melania Trump celebrated the New Year with a rare and unusual move for the US First Lady. But just why did she do it?

Melania Trump opened the New Year with a rare act — posting a warm and smiling selfie on her social media channels.

“Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous new year,” the US First Lady wrote on her official pages for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

#HappNewYear2019 ✨ pic.twitter.com/zvR9YqjNB3

— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) January 1, 2019

The photo included her 12-year-old son Barron and featured a black and white New Year’s Eve filter, with a pair of sparkly ‘2019’ labels shining around them.

It was snapped as Ms Trump got ready to celebrate the New Year at a planned Mar-a-Lago event in Florida, while the President was working in the White House.

The post was an unusual move for the First Lady, marking only the second selfie she has posted since entering the White House.

The first was a Christmas selfie she posted in December 2017. The picture sparked a controversial response, with social media users slamming it as “disgraceful” and “tacky”.

#MerryChristmas 🎄🤶🏻 pic.twitter.com/IahMZhf5gc

— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) December 25, 2017

The notoriously private First Lady has often been accused of being too distant, and for appearing not to take a stronger interest in her role in the East Wing. She rarely gives interviews to the media or comments on White House affairs.

The selfie — posted on the @FLOTUS Twitter account — was arguably the only official photo from the event; the other snaps taken from inside were all from guests’ personal social media accounts.

The photo could be an attempt to improve her approval ratings with the public and forge a closer relationship with people. After all, her approval rating remains considerably lower than that of Michelle Obama and Laura Bush — largely, some analysts claim, due to a lack of visibility.

Among the attendees at the $US1000-per-head Mar-a-Lago event was Chinese billionaire and dissident Guo Wengui, who fled his country in 2015 following allegations of corruption, The Daily Mail reported.

According to Vanity Fair, his membership at Mr Trump’s club saved him from being deported back to China in 2017.

Paolo Zampolli, the United Nations ambassador of Dominica, and his model wife, Amanda Ungaro, were also present. Mr Zampolli has been credited with first introducing the First Lady to Mr Trump when she signed to his agency in the 1990s.

Billionaire Anthony Pratt — who in 2018 became Australia’s richest person — also attended the event, and posted a candid shot of himself in conversation with the First Lady.

Conservative 25-year-old activist Charlie Kirk was also present, and posted a posed selfie with a smiling Melania.

The extravagant Mar-a-Lago event was criticised this year for going ahead during a government shutdown, with 800,000 federal employees not knowing when they’ll receive their next wages.

According to Quartz, the federal government paid $US54,000 ($A78,000) for security tents and over $US41,000 ($A59,000) for lights and generators.

In a recent Gallop poll, Ms Trump was named one of America’s “Most Admired” Women.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama came in first at 15 per cent of the 1025 people surveyed, up from 7 per cent in 2015.

Ms Trump ranked in third place, tying with Hillary Clinton at 4 per cent.