Inside wild conspiracy theory that Donald Trump replaced wife Melania with a body double

During Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, people on Twitter suggested that Melania’s massive hat was to conceal the fact she was not Melania at all but a convincing body double.

Melania arrived at the event in an outfit designed by Adam Lippes and with a huge hat created by milliner Eric Javits. Besides her husband’s extreme rule changes on day one, the hat was all anyone could discuss and it sparked a viral meme.

Amongst the conspiracy theories that Melania didn’t want to kiss her husband, some speculated once again that Melania was replaced by a body double for the event, and shockingly, it’s not the first time. Take a look.

Credit: MAASNI SRIVASTAVA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The Melania Trump body double theory started in 2017

The conspiracy theory was seemingly started by The Guardian columnist Marina Hyde who tweeted “Absolutely convinced Melania is being played by a Melania impersonator these days. Theory: she left him weeks ago” in October of 2017.

Over the next few months, people claimed that Melania skipping events was confirmation that she had either died, refused to attend the event, or left the public eye entirely. In one moment, when she recovered for five weeks from a benign kidney surgery, the White House refused to comment on her absence which added even more weight to the theory.

Soon enough, #fakeMelania was trending on Twitter as news channels across the globe ran stories on the Melania Trump replacement theory. Even The View hosted a segment on it. Most recently – during the 2024 Presidential election vote – Donald Trump arrived at the booth with Melania sporting large sunglasses. Naturally, this sparked a resurgence of the theory online.

Most Read

It’s finally here: Watch the full video of Bonnie Blue’s 1,000 guys in 12 hours challenge

All the strict rules the 1,057 men had to abide by if they wanted to sleep with Bonnie Blue

Plumber breaks silence on what his experience with Bonnie Blue was *really* like

Has Donald Trump or Melania ever commented on the theory?

In 2019, Alabama was swept up in a deadly tornado that claimed the lives of 23 people and injured 97 more. When Donald Trump arrived to lend his support to the relief effort, with Melania joining him in big sunglasses, the theories started up again.

Responding to them on Twitter, the President wrote: “The Fake News photoshopped pictures of Melania, then propelled conspiracy theories that it’s actually not her by my side in Alabama and other places. They are only getting more deranged with time!”

Me looking at all the #FakeMelania tweets pic.twitter.com/kYc9GQ5i3b

— SUZI 🖤 (@RebelDiamond_) November 5, 2024

Following The View’s segment on the conspiracy theory, Melania Trump’s representative, Stephanie Grisham, told TODAY: “I’ve always found it sad that a group of women spend so much time attacking another woman, whose only goal is to help children. Yesterday’s show went beyond the petty, mean-girl spirit that we’ve grown accustomed to.”

He further noted that the story should have been about “people are hurting in Alabama” and not an outlandish theory with no legs. Instead, he suggested that The View devote their “air time to helping people.”

ANNA MONEYMAKER/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

For more like this and for the latest memes, quizzes, updates and general pop culture chaos – like The Tab on Facebook.