In the absence of First Lady Melania Trump, Lara Trump took on the role of adding a touch of elegance to President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing. Stepping in with flair, she brought her own brand of MAGA style to the forefront.
Lara, 43, made a fashion statement as she donned polka dots not once but twice during the journey. On Tuesday, she sported a design by Alessandra Rich for the White House departure and chose a similar look again on Thursday.
Her striking choice of a white dress adorned with dark polka dots was seen at the grand welcome ceremony at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People. She maintained a poised presence alongside President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their tour of the Temple of Heaven.
For a change of pace on Thursday evening, Lara opted for a more intricate look, wearing a fitted floral dress featuring an Asian-inspired bodice from the Hong Kong designer Sau Lee.
This elegant piece is available for $880.
Body language expert Judi James shared with the Daily Mail that Lara and her husband Eric, 42, seemed to embody the poise often associated with British royalty.
‘Are Eric and Lara Trump’s very own William and Kate?’ James mused.
She observed that the couple provided a ‘rather elegant, regal, dynastic air to this visit.’
They waited at the end of the line of US officials to greet Xi during the opening ceremony at the Great Hall.
And they ‘wafted into the state banquet before Trump and Xi to find themselves honored by the scraping of chairs as the other guests rose to their feet in a ritual of respect for their status,’ she observed.
Lara Trump (left) wore a Sau Lee dress that retails for $880 to Thursday night’s state banquet in Beijing alongside husband Eric Trump (right)
Lara Trump (left) sported a white dress with dark polka dots during Thursday’s welcome ceremony and subsequent tour of the Temple of Heaven where she walked alongside President Donald Trump (center) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (right)
James said that Eric and Lara ‘wore an air of upright elegance’ as the banquet audience stood to welcome them, even if it had just been done in anticipation of Trump and Xi’s arrival.
The couple ‘still appeared to soak the gesture up with graceful and grateful thanks,’ she noted.
Trump aides on the trip included the so-called ‘human printer’ Natalie Harp, 35, who was given the nickname for always hauling along a portable printer to deliver news clipping to the President.
On Thursday night, the blonde aide glimmered in a gold gown for the state banquet.
She’s taken some heat this week, after the Wall Street Journal reported that Harp has frustrated some White House officials for posting what the President wants on his social media without giving other communications’ aides or national security officials a heads up.
Ambassador Monica Crowley, 57, the Chief of Protocol, went for tasteful and classic, sporting a black dress and a long string of pearls to Thursday night’s state banquet.
Glamorous aide Margo Martin, 30, known for chronicling the President’s moves on her social media accounts, is also on the trip but said she wouldn’t be sharing content until the American delegation is wheels up, likely due to bugging risks.
With White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, on maternity leave, her role is being partially filled by principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly, 29, a former beauty queen.
Trump aide Natalie Harp wore a golden dress as she attended Thursday night’s state banquet in Beijing (left) and a pink dress to the welcoming ceremony Thursday morning (right)
Chief of Protocol Ambassador Monica Crowley (right) kept it simple with a black dress and a string of pearls as she attended Thursday night’s state dinner in Beijing, walking alongside Lara (left) and Eric Trump (center)
Anna Kelly, the principal deputy White House press secretary, who’s taken on a bigger role while press secretary Karoline Leavitt is on maternity leave, wore a black dress with button embellishments to the arrival ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday
Lara Trump (right) can be seen at the arrival ceremony Thursday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China wearing a white dress with dark polka dots and nude heels
Lara Trump (center) shared a selfie before departing the White House on Tuesday, where she was also sporting polka dots. It included (from left) Eric Trump, Walt Nauta, Dan Scavino, Natalie Harp and Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Ahead of President Donald Trump’s arrival in Beijing, a picture of Secretary of State Marco Rubio wearing the same grey Nike tracksuit made famous during the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro was shared by Communications Director Steven Cheung
The red-haired Kelly was spotted at the arrival ceremony on Thursday sporting a professional black dress with button details and black heels.
Harp chose a pink dress for the occasion, while Martin was wearing a sleeveless floral number.
But the fashion moment that really had people talking, happened before the US delegation even touched down Wednesday night.
As Air Force One was flying to China on Tuesday, Communications Director Steven Cheung posted a picture of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
‘Secretary Rubio rocking the Nike Tech “Venezuela” on Air Force One!’ Cheung wrote, adding a crying smiley face emoji.
And Rubio was indeed twinning in the grey Nike sweatsuit made famous by Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, who was wearing the outfit during his January capture.
