Melania Trump should abandon her “Be Best” initiative if she returns as First Lady, argued columnist Mark Praetzel in an open letter published Sunday in the South Jersey Times. The anti-bullying campaign, a signature effort from her first term as First Lady, was widely criticized for its perceived irony given Donald Trump’s well-known penchant for confrontational rhetoric.
Praetzel didn’t hold back in his critique. “As a concerned citizen, and since you will be First Lady for the second time, I would like to request one favor of you. Please, please, please do not bring back your infamous ‘Be Best’ campaign,” he wrote. He acknowledged her intentions might have been sincere but added, “Most people thought anything bullying-related from you was a tad ironic, because of your hubby and all. Others thought it was just your sneaky way of shaming Donald into being nice to people. It didn’t work.”
The columnist argued that “Be Best” fell flat not just because of its incongruity with Trump’s behavior but also due to its broader lack of resonance. He quipped that Donald Trump must have misheard the initiative’s name as “Be Ist,” listing a series of negative traits he felt Trump embodied. “Sexist, misogynist, chauvinist, egotist, narcissist, isolationist, extremist, supremacist,” Praetzel wrote. “Now he’ll have four years to work on ‘fascist.'”
Praetzel, who described himself as a concerned advocate for democracy, proposed alternative initiatives for Melania to champion. “Perhaps something to assist the immigrant community? Since you yourself are an immigrant, and Donald has always been such an empath… er, scratch that,” he suggested, tongue-in-cheek.
He also floated the idea of climate change advocacy, albeit with similar reservations. “Anyone who cares about the future of their children or grandchildren — or likes to breathe, for that matter — would support you. I mean, it’s not as if your husband is a climate change deni-, er, scratch that, too.”
While his tone was lighthearted and at times biting, Praetzel’s letter reflects broader skepticism about Melania’s ability to craft a relatable or impactful platform, given the controversies surrounding her husband’s leadership. He concluded by expressing hope that she would find a new cause “to put her heart into,” one that might resonate more meaningfully with the public.