But as shown in the viral Demi Lovato “Poot” meme, the internet is no stranger to distorted perceptions—angle and lighting can drastically alter how someone appears.
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Speculation spiked again earlier this year, especially after her appearance in January during Trump’s inauguration. Likewise, her presence alongside Trump at a November event in West Palm Beach reignited claims.
Conspiracy theorists also suggested Melania didn’t attend Pope Francis’ funeral herself, insisting that a lookalike was used. The First Lady wore a black veil covering her face, which led many to believe it was a disguise for someone else.
Can we have a serious discussion about #FakeMelania pic.twitter.com/dajeseb8Hr
— Ben Meiselas 🎤 (@meiselasb) October 25, 2020
Is there any truth to the theory that Melania Trump uses a body double?
Despite the rumors, there’s no evidence supporting the body double claims. Jonathan Wackrow, a former Secret Service agent, told CNN: “The United States Secret Service doesn’t use body doubles.”
He added: “Mrs. Trump’s lead agent is a woman … and she happens to look a little like her, but physically, she is much shorter.” Wackrow noted that the agent had also served under President Obama’s family, which made her a good fit for the Trump detail.
“These are the kinds of things that are considered, not whether an agent could pass for the First Lady,” he clarified.
Although both Trump and Melania’s press secretary have denied the claims, the White House has never issued a formal response.
Back in 2019, Trump addressed the speculation after a trip to survey tornado damage in Alabama, tweeting: “The Fake News photoshopped pictures of Melania, then propelled conspiracy theories that it’s actually not her by my side in Alabama and other places. They are only getting more deranged with time!”
The topic also came up on The View, where Ana Navarro-Cardenas joked: “Let’s have fun with Melania. She’s beautiful, and we’re doing this in jest.”
Abby Huntsman pushed back, asking: “Does that make it better?”
Joy Behar responded: “We’re not here to be better people. We’re here to have a good laugh.”
Stephanie Grisham, Melania’s spokesperson at the time, issued a statement condemning the comments, saying the episode “went beyond the petty mean-girl spirit that we’ve grown accustomed to.”
Grisham added in an email to AP: “People died, people lost family, people are hurting in Alabama. I personally watched the president and first lady hug, listen to and comfort people who had lost everything—and the ‘ladies’ of The View instead chose to laugh and joke about a body-double conspiracy.”
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