On Wednesday, First Lady Melania Trump made history at the White House in a way that looked toward the future.
She had the unique experience of being introduced by a robot.
Melania Trump gathered fellow first ladies and a first gentleman in the East Room of the White House for a discussion centered on youth and technology.
This gathering was a key component of her larger initiative known as Fostering the Future Together.
Once all the guests had arrived, the moment came for Melania to make her grand entrance.
Accompanied by the stirring melodies of John Williams’ “Flight to Neverland,” the First Lady entered the East Room side by side with a sleek, black-and-white robot.
The robot then introduced the First Lady, using a female-sounding voice.
‘Thank you First Lady Melania Trump for inviting me to the White House,’ the robot said. ‘It is an honor to be at Fostering the Future Together’s Global Coalition inaugural meeting.’
First Lady Melania Trump (right) made a grand entrance at her Fostering the Future Together White House event Wednesday, alongside Figure 3 (left), a humanoid robot made in the United States
Figure 3 (center) waves to a gathering in the East Room alongside Brigitte Macron (left), the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Melania Trump (right)
‘I’m Figure 3, a humanoid built in the United States of America,’ the robot explained. ‘I am grateful to be part of this historic movement to empower children with technology and education.’
Figure 3 then said welcome in 11 different languages.
The robot then slowly walked around the rectangular table where the panel was speaking and departed down the White House’s Cross Hall.
From there, Melania noted the history-making nature of the moment.
‘It’s fair to say, you’re my first American-made humanoid guest,’ the First Lady said.
Melania’s event was a two-day affair that attracted spouses and representatives from some of the US’s top allies at a time when relationships are particularly tense due to the war in Iran.
During Tuesday’s Fostering the Future Together initiative at the State Department, the First Lady was joined by Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska and the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sara Netanyahu.
Israel and the US went to war with Iran together, but the President expressed disgust when Israel targeted one of Iran’s oil fields last week, telling reporters that he had schooled Netanyahu not to do that again.
Figure 3 welcomed attendees in the East Room in 11 different languages. Several of the first ladies spoke in their native languages during Wednesday’s program
First Lady Melania Trump follows Figure 3 into the East Room of the White House on Wednesday for her Fostering the Future Together event
The Iran war has the danger of putting the Ukraine conflict in the backdrop.
On Wednesday, Melania hosted Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron.
She sat next to her and called on her to speak first.
The French President has been critical of President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran, as Trump has railed against NATO leaders for not immediately volunteering to help patrol the Strait of Hormuz.
But Brigitte Macron was all smiles, passionately speaking in French about limiting youngsters’ screen time and access to social media.
Other speakers included Morocco’s Princess Lalla Hasnaa, the youngest sister of Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, the United Arab Emirates’ royal Sheikha Alyazia bint Saif Al Nahyan, the wife of UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland’s First Lady Marta Nawrocka, Panama’s First Lady Maricel Cohen de Mulino, Sierra Leone’s First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio and Malawi’s First Lady Gertrude Mutharika.
The only man on the panel, First Gentleman of Kosovo Lt. Col. Prindon Sadriu, spoke last.
The First Lady has expanded her Be Best initiative during Trump’s second term to encompass discussions about artificial intelligence and how it can safely be harnessed to help young people.
