‘Don’t Care’ Meryl Streep Jabs Melania Trump Over Infamous 2018 Jacket in Vogue Interview

After years of serving the entertainment industry with thought-provoking films and encouraging speeches, Meryl Streep sat for an interview with Anna Wintour and Greta Gerwig, for a Vogue cover story. While they began the discussion about fashion and power, Streep had some bold comments for the First Lady Melania Trump.

While sharing her thoughts on how women dress to show strength and confidence, she openly slammed Melania Trump’s controversial fashion move in 2018. As Wintour praised Michelle Obama and Rama Duwaji, Streep claimed to have “so many thoughts” about fashion and the First Lady.

Speaking alongside Anna Wintour, with Greta Gerwig leading the discussion on Tuesday, for Vogue's cover, Meryl Streep shared her honest thoughts on fashion, power, and first ladies. The conversation started with a simple question from Gerwig asking, “how women are meant to dress to communicate power?”

Leading the conversation, Wintour said women do not need to wear a “power suit” to look strong. “I don’t think wearing a power suit to the office is in any way necessary. Think about the women that one admires: Mrs. Obama comes to mind.” Wintour praised Michelle Obama for always staying true to her personal style.

She further added, “I’m full of admiration for New York City’s new first lady because she looks so cool and wears a lot of vintage—young, and modern, and also entirely herself.” Wintour went on to add, “To be fair, Melania Trump also always looks like herself when she dresses.” This reminded Streep of Trump's 2018 fashion move.

Meryl Streep spoke about Melania Trump’s controversial jacket that read “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” during a visit to migrant children. “I think the most…powerful message that our current first lady sent was in the coat that said ‘I Really Don’t Care, Do U?’ when she was going to see migrant children who were incarcerated.”

She claimed that Trump sent a negative and insensitive message with that jacket, especially during a serious visit to migrant children. Streep explained that despite the First Lady insisting it was a powerful message of protest that she sent with her jacket, it was actually strong and impactful in a troubling way.

Back in 2018, when Melania Trump went to visit the New Hope Children's Shelter in McAllen, Texas, on 21 June, she faced strong criticism for her outfit choice. The shelter housed 55 migrant children, some separated from their parents under the government’s immigration policy.

Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding Trump's outfit choice began after she was seen wearing a jacket with the words “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” written on the back while traveling to and from the center. People felt the message was insensitive, given the situation of the children.

At first, although her spokesperson said “there was no hidden message", Trump admitted in an interview with ABC News that the jacket was meant to send a message. “It's obvious I didn't wear the jacket for the children, I wore the jacket to go on the plane and off the plane," she said.

"It was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticising me. I want to show them I don't care. You could criticise whatever you want to say. But it will not stop me to do what I feel is right.” She said. "I often asking myself, if I had not worn that jacket, if I will have so much media coverage,"

Melania Trump concluded with, "I would prefer they would focus on what I do and on my initiatives than what I wear.”