Jill Biden’s Quick Action to Protect Joe Sparks Praise and Humorous Comparisons to Melania Trump
Melania Trump attends an event in Washington, D.C., on September 3, 2020. Jill Biden delivers remarks during an event at the White House. Angerer/Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
A resurfaced video of First Lady Jill Biden stepping in to shield President Joe Biden from a protestor has sparked viral praise and humorous comparisons to former First Lady Melania Trump. The clip shows Jill reacting swiftly and instinctively placing herself between her husband and a shouting vegan activist, earning admiration for her quick action.
“Even though it was not much, she put herself between the threat of harm and him. He married the right lady,” one user wrote. Another praised Jill’s immediate reaction, saying, “The act was immediate, no hesitation. Now that is a partner for life.”
However, the praise for Jill quickly turned into lighthearted critiques of Melania Trump, as social media users speculated about how she might have reacted in a similar scenario.
“Melania would have held Trump while the protester punched him,” one user joked. Another quipped, “Melania if this were Trump: I didn’t see anything.” A similar sentiment followed: “Melania would have stepped to the side and put her shades on.”
The humor continued, with one commenter imagining, “Melania would be like, ‘Let them take him,’ but in an accent.” Another chimed in, “Melania: puts on ‘I Don’t Care’ jacket.” This referenced the infamous green coat Melania wore with the slogan “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” during a controversial visit to migrant detention centers in 2018.
The viral discussion underscored the long-standing comparisons between the Bidens and the Trumps, particularly in how the couples interact publicly. Body language expert Judi James previously highlighted these differences, telling the Irish Star: “We’ve already seen more touches and affectionate glances between Joe and Jill Biden in the past few hours than we did between Donald and Melania Trump in the entire four years of Trump’s presidency.”
James added that Donald and Melania often appeared “unwilling or unable to perform spontaneous, natural-looking PDAs” and suggested their interactions felt formal and distant. In contrast, Jill Biden is seen as an active and supportive partner, frequently engaging with her husband’s public role.
The contrast was further highlighted during the 2020 presidential transition. According to The Independent, Jill Biden extended an olive branch to Melania Trump despite the outgoing First Lady declining to meet her—breaking a long-standing tradition. Jill reportedly handed Donald Trump a handwritten congratulatory note to pass on to Melania, expressing her willingness to assist with the transition.
The resurfaced video, along with the ongoing comparisons, underscores the perceived differences in the public personas of Jill Biden and Melania Trump—one being active and engaged, the other often distant and reserved.
