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Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer poses next to a new wax figure of the First Lady Melania Trump, next to a figure of US President Donald Trump at the Madame Tussauds in New York City on Wednesday. Photo: Agence France-Presse

Sean Spicer unveils Melania Trump waxwork at Madame Tussauds, hailing it as ‘unbelievably lifelike’

Offbeat

Sean Spicer, the former White House press secretary, has unveiled a waxwork of Melania Trump at Madame Tussauds in New York, praising the model as “unbelievably lifelike”.

The figurine of the first lady was unveiled on Wednesday, and stands next to a waxwork of her husband, Donald Trump. The Trumps are positioned behind a wooden presidential desk in a section devoted to world and religious leaders. It is located across from Pope Francis, Gandhi and Fidel Castro.

It’s the first time Melania Trump has been displayed at Tussauds. She joins a pantheon of wax celebrities at the Times Square location, including Angelina Jolie, Queen Elizabeth and the boy band ‘NSync.
A newly unveiled wax figure of US first lady Melania Trump stands at Madame Tussauds in New York City on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Asked what Trump was like away from the cameras, Spicer said: “She’s a very gracious and fashionable woman. I don’t think the American people have fully appreciated the level of intellect she has and her political savviness.”

In a brief Q&A with a Tussauds representative, Spicer, who resigned in July, described Melania as “a great spouse” who is “always supportive” of Donald Trump “in public and private”.
United States President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump await the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron and first lady of France Brigette Macron at the North Portico of the White House on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

Asked if Melania Trump was supportive when news broke of her husband’s alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, Spicer said: “I haven’t had any conversations on that.”

There is an interactive element, too: Tussauds have invited visitors to “Give Melania a voice” by tweeting from a social media station next to her waxwork. The tweets will appear on a live stream, and those deemed suitable will be tweeted out to the world.

The option to “Give Melania a voice” seemed a curious decision by Tussauds, given the inevitable comparisons to the #FreeMelania movement that trended after the 2016 presidential inauguration. That hashtag was sparked by footage of her looking less than pleased as her husband was inaugurated.

A spokeswoman acknowledged that people might make that comparison, but said “Give Melania a voice” was not intended as a comment on Melania’s taciturn image or her role in the White House.

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