Melania Trump’s Stiff Kiss With the President Sparks Online Frenzy (Video)

It was supposed to be a glamorous New Year’s Eve at Mar-a-Lago. Instead, all anyone could talk about was one painfully awkward kiss.

First Lady Melania Trump turned heads in a sparkling silver gown as she joined President Donald Trump and their 19-year-old son, Barron, for the Palm Beach celebration. Cameras flashed. The band played Auld Lang Syne. And then — the kiss happened.

The president leaned in. Melania offered her cheek. The brief peck was over before it began. Barron, towering beside them, looked straight ahead as the crowd counted down to midnight.

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“Was that even a kiss?” one X user asked, posting a clip that racked up thousands of views overnight. “It looked like she was dodging him.”

Another wrote, “There’s more warmth between two Secret Service agents than between these two.”

The moment, captured on several phones, reignited long-running speculation about the couple’s chemistry. The First Lady appeared reserved, smiling politely as Trump wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “She looks like she’s at a business meeting,” one viewer commented. “Not a party.”

The Trumps have faced scrutiny over their public interactions for years — from the hand-swat incident in Israel during Trump’s first term, to Melania’s stoic expression at campaign rallies. But this New Year’s clip struck a nerve online.

“Poor Barron,” another viewer wrote. “He looks like he wants the floor to open up.”

Inside Mar-a-Lago, the couple later posed for photos while walking hand-in-hand toward the ballroom. Some supporters cheered. Others on social media insisted it wasn’t Melania at all — reviving the internet’s favorite conspiracy theory: the “Fake Melania.”

“Every time she smiles, it’s a body double,” joked one commenter. Another posted, “They must’ve called in the stand-in — real Melania doesn’t hold hands that long.”

The “Fake Melania” theory first gained traction during Trump’s presidency, after sharp-eyed viewers noticed subtle differences in height, hair, and facial structure during public events. Melania has never publicly addressed the rumors.

The First Lady has kept a notably low profile throughout Trump’s second term, skipping several campaign stops and limiting public appearances to high-society events and White House holiday functions. Close aides insist she’s focused on Barron’s college plans and her Be Best initiative, though critics call her detached from her husband’s political machine.

Still, loyal supporters at Mar-a-Lago brushed off the viral moment. “They’re a power couple. The Trumps have always been affectionate in their own way,” said longtime member Gloria Henderson, 68. “People just love to pick them apart.”

But online, the verdict was harsher.

“She presented him her cheek,” one post read. “That’s all he gets.”