NPR

First State Dinner: A Chance For Melania Trump To Put Her Stamp On The White House

State dinners are a chance for first ladies to express their tastes and make a statement. But historically these diplomatic dinners have had their share of mishaps.
First lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump, Brigitte Macron and French President Emmanuel Macron walk across the South Lawn before participating in a tree-planting ceremony at the White House April 23. Trump is hosting Macron for a two-day official visit that will include a state dinner Tuesday night.

Fifteen months into the Trump presidency, the first state dinner, in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron, will be a big moment for first lady Melania Trump, who has kept a lower profile than many of her predecessors.

"It's much more than just a dinner," said Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies and a forthcoming book about vice presidents.

When it comes to state dinners, every choice from the china to the shape of the tables and the number of guests makes a statement that reflects the tastes of the first family, and especially the first lady.

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