What Life Inside The White House Will Be Like For Melania And Barron Trump

Now that President Donald J. Trump has officially moved into White House, everyone wants to know: just how will his wife, Melania, and 10-year-old son, Barron, fit into the mix? Answers are still a little vague, but we do have an initial sense of how the mother-son duo will adjust to life in Washington, D.C. Well, as soon as they get there, anyway.

In November 2016, the New York Daily News reported that Melania and Barron would delay their move to the White House so that Barron could finish the school year at Manhattan's prestigious Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School. Trump later confirmed the news, telling reporters Barron would move to Washington, D.C., "very soon—after he's finished with school."

The decision reportedly caused anxiety among parents at Barron's school. A board member told Vanity Fair, "Some parents are freaking out and worked up about security and what the school is going to do," and the magazine said others are "fretful about the quotidian inconveniences this all might pose," noting that the school's only elevator was once "cordoned off for Melania during open house night."

New Yorkers, already annoyed about the traffic in Midtown Manhattan, got an extra dose of heartburn added to their daily diet as speculation grew over how Melania would transport Barron to school each morning. So far, those fears have turned out to be a bit of an overreaction. According to TMZ, Barron's first day back to school since his father's inauguration went off without a hitch, so much so that "no one in NYC noticed." Sources say Barron was transported by two SUVs and not an actual motorcade, which could have meant Melania did not go along for the ride. Regardless, the low-key commute turned out to be a blessing. "There were no traffic tie-ups as Barron made his way uptown," TMZ reported. "Secret Service did not stop traffic along the route."

Although he's not even living in the White House yet, Barron has already been subjected to the harsh world of online bullying. Katie Rich, a writer for Saturday Night Live, was suspended from the show following a tweet in which she declared that Barron would become "this country's first homeschool shooter."

Amid the fallout, the White House stepped in to plead to the press to respect Barron's privacy as Trump family members settled into their political role. "It is a longstanding tradition that the children of Presidents are afforded the opportunity to grow up outside of the political spotlight," the White House said in a statement released to Variety. "The White House fully expects this tradition to continue. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter."

Even former first daughter Chelsea Clinton stepped up to defend the youngest Trump, writing on Facebook, "Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does—to be a kid..."

Melania made headlines in November 2016 when she gave a speech announcing plans to tackle cyberbullying as first lady. "Technology has changed our universe. But like anything that is powerful, it can have a bad side," she said (via Time). "...Children and teenagers can be fragile. They are hurt when they are made fun of or made to feel less in looks or intelligence. This makes their life hard and can force them to hide and retreat. Our culture has gotten too mean and too rough, especially to children and teenagers. It is never OK when a 12-year-old girl or boy is mocked, bullied, or attacked. It is terrible when that happens on the playground. And it is absolutely unacceptable when it is done by someone with no name hiding on the internet."

Congress has a long history of approving funds for each incoming President to spruce up the White House. How will the Trump family redecorate? Well, if Melania's makeup artist is to be believed, the first lady is planning to go full-on glam. "There will absolutely be a room designated for hair, makeup and wardrobe," Nicole Bryl told Us Weekly. "Melania wants a room with the most perfect lighting scenario, which will make our jobs as a creative team that much more efficient, since great lighting can make or break any look."

Bryl said each of her makeup sessions takes "about one hour and 15 minutes of uninterrupted focus." She added, "If you want the look to be flawless and have it last [throughout the day], you do have to take a little extra time to make that happen."

The powder blue Ralph Lauren dress that Melania wore to her husband's inauguration certainly turned heads, as it appeared to pay homage to former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Whether the former model and jewelry designer becomes a fashion icon on par with Kennedy or predecessor Michelle Obama remains to be seen. In fact, a number of prominent designers have said they will not dress Melania while she's in the White House, due in large part to her husband's politics. Other prominent fashion houses have volunteered to assist the first lady, including Tommy Hilfiger and Diane von Furstenberg, and some famous names, such as John Varvatos and Carolina Herrera, have fallen into a camp New York magazine referred to as "undecided." Famed designer Hervé Pierre helped Melania design the gown she wore to the inaugural balls, so she appears to be doing just fine in the fashion department.

Amid a sea of jokes and jabs from high-profile names such as comedian Chelsea Handler, Melania is reportedly assembling a staff to help defend her against attacks. According to the New York Post, Melania's team will include Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former Vogue staffer and Met Gala planner who'll serve as the first lady's chief strategist. Winston Wolkoff, who helped plan Trump's inauguration, has been a friend of the family for a long time. According to The New York Times, she attended Melania's birthday party in 2010 and was also at Trump's victory party in November 2016.

If Melania thought she could sneak off to New York and hide from the press, the inauguration ceremonies proved that, like most first ladies before her, she's going to be under constant scrutiny while she's in the White House. The Internet is already churning out memes alleging Melania is sad and hates her life based solely on images from inauguration festivities. But despite the meme machine and her husband's assorted controversies, the American public may still be on her side. Politico reported in January 2017 that 47 percent of voters have a favorable opinion of the first lady. At the time of this writing, her numbers were much stronger than her husband's historically low initial approval ratings.