US First Lady Jill Biden wears her heart on her sleeve. Actually her back. Photo / AP
US First Lady Jill Biden wears her heart on her sleeve. Actually her back. Photo / AP
First Lady Jill Biden has sent the rumour mill into overdrive after stepping out during an official visit in the UK wearing a jacket emblazoned with the word "love".
Biden instantly drew comparisons to former FLOTUS Melania Trump, who famously caused offence after wearing a green coat to visit a detention centre that held 55 migrant children in 2018 with the words "'I really don't care do u?" written on the back.
The stark contrast in messages has been interpreted by some as Biden taking a public dig at Trump – and the internet is abuzz with speculation.
Biden wore the black blazer-style jacket to meet UK PM Boris Johnson - together with her husband and Johnson's wife Carrie. The Bidens are in England to attend the G7 Summit.
Melania Trump, left, wearing the coat that launched 1 million outraged tweets. Photos / AP, Zara
At a press call, the First Lady was asked what her outfit choice meant. She said it was intended to bring a "sense of hope" as the world continues to grapple with Covid.
"I think that we're bringing love from America," she said. "This is a global conference, and we are trying to bring unity across the globe. And I think it's needed right now, that people feel a sense of unity from all the countries and feel a sense of hope after this year of the pandemic."
Q: "Can you explain the message on the back of your jacket?"
However, her comments did little to convince Twitter the wardrobe choice wasn't a dig at Melania Trump.
"Hard to see that jacket and not remember former First Lady Melania Trump wearing the jacket that said, 'I really don't care do you?'" tweeted ABC News reporter Jordyn Phelps.
"@FLOTUS continues Melania's tradition of jacket messaging, albeit with somewhat less hostility and bitterness," another user observed.
"Jill Biden knows a jacket with words on the back will automatically draw comparisons to Melania, so it's fascinating that she would want a (not subtle) troll move to define one of her highest profile moments in the administration so far," tweeted Republican commentator Matt Whitlock.
Melania Trump's coat, worn during a visit to children displaced by America's immigration crisis, featured graffiti-style writing and cost $52 from Zara.
She was widely slammed for wearing it at the time, with it being labelled "grotesque" and "terrible".
Two years later she offered an explanation for the coat, stating it was a message for the media rather than the children.
The Bidens and the Johnsons in Cornwall, England ahead of the G-7 summit. Photo / AP
"It's obvious I didn't wear the jacket for the children, I wore the jacket to go on the plane and off the plane," she said.
"It was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticising me. I want to show them I don't care. You could criticise whatever you want to say. But it will not stop me to do what I feel is right."
