Melania and her fellow Trump women did their best to drum up some social media support for the President ahead of the first presidential debate on Tuesday night by coming together to pose for a candid selfie backstage at the event.
The First Lady, 50, delighted her supporters by appearing in the candid snap, which shows her leaning in to pose alongside her stepdaughters Ivanka and Tiffany, and Eric Trump’s wife Lara, who appears to have taken the image on her phone.
But while the image may have seemed casual, it sparked quite the stir on Instagram because it is one of just a handful of occasions when Melania has been seen posing alongside her stepdaughters.
Say cheese! Melania Trump delighted her supporters by posing for a rare selfie alongside her stepdaughters, Ivanka and Tiffany, as well as stepson Eric’s wife Lara, at the debate on Tuesday
Although the image was snapped by Lara, 37, it was Ivanka, 38, who had the honor of posting it on social media – much to the delight of her followers, who were quick to praise all four women in the photo.
‘Prettiest first family in our nations history,’ one user commented, while another chimed in: ‘Lovely and strong women!’
‘Such beautiful women!’ a third commenter added.
The selfie was one of just two photos from the first presidential debate that showed Melania and her stepdaughters posing together; while Ivanka and Tiffany were seen with Lara and Don Jr’s partner Kimberly Guilfoyle throughout much of the evening, the First Lady entered the debate venue alone, having spent time with her family backstage ahead of the event.
In the snap, the four women are all seen wearing face masks, with Melania donning a disposable white covering, while Ivanka, Tiffany, and Lara all chose cloth designs.
Influencers! The First Lady, 50, also appeared in another social media snap with the three women, as well as Don Jr’s longtime partner Kimberly Guilfoyle, as they waited backstage
But while some praised the women for choosing to wear the protective gear – with one person saying they are the ‘best looking women mask or no mask’ – some anti-masker followers criticized the decision, and urged the Trump ladies to remove them.
‘Say No to the mask!’ one person commented. ‘They are completely pointless! We’d rather see you beautiful smiling faces!’
Another then wrote: ‘I love you girls! No mask on!!! You go girls!’
A third added: ‘Please take the masks off!’
Another photo posted by Lara shows the foursome posing together once again – although this time they were joined by Kimberly, 51.
While the selfie focused on their faces, the second, full-length Instagram snap allowed all of the women to show off their stylish ensembles to full effect.
Supporters: Ivanka, Tiffany, Lara, and Kimberly spent much of the evening together, along with Don Jr and his brother Eric, with the group all entering the venue together
Strutting their stuff! Ivanka, 38, led the way as the group entered the debate venue and prepared to take their seats
Family: Melania, Ivanka, and Tiffany are only pictured together on rare occasions, like in January 2017 during President Trump’s inauguration
Smile! They also stood alongside one another on election night in November 2016, when the entire Trump family came together to celebrate the President’s victory over Hillary Clinton
Support system: Tiffany, pictured with Melania and Ivanka in 2016, has spent much of Trump’s presidency in college, and has not been as much of a constant presence at official events