In 2018, Melania Trump sparked controversy when she wore a jacket with the words “I really don’t care, do u?” while heading to a migrant detention center. The timing was sensitive, as the center housed children separated from their families under Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration policy. Critics immediately questioned her choice, suggesting the jacket reflected indifference to the children’s plight.

Melania later addressed the issue in a 2018 ABC News interview, explaining that the jacket was not intended for the children at the center but rather for her critics in the media. She stated, “I wore the jacket to go on the plane and off the plane,” emphasizing it was a message to the left-wing media who often criticized her. Melania defended her decision, saying the media’s obsession with her outfit only reinforced her point. She clarified, “I don’t care,” explaining that it wouldn’t stop her from doing what she felt was right.

While she argued the jacket wasn’t aimed at the children, many still found her fashion choice tone-deaf. Critics mocked the irony of wearing such a statement while visiting vulnerable children. Despite the backlash, Melania maintained that she would prefer the media to focus on her initiatives rather than her clothing, even though she later wore the jacket again, which seemed to fuel more media attention.