Donald and Melania Trump returned to Washington, D.C., after spending Thanksgiving weekend in Florida — but it wasn’t the former president who drew the most attention as they stepped off Marine One. Instead, social media quickly zeroed in on Melania Trump, sparking a wave of commentary, jokes, and even conspiracy theories over one unusual detail: she was wearing sunglasses at night.

The Trump family—Donald, Melania, and their son Barron—spent the holiday at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. While the former president made headlines throughout the long weekend for various appearances and remarks, Melania largely stayed out of the spotlight, opting for a quieter holiday with her son.

But once the couple returned to the White House lawn on Sunday night, that silence broke. Cameras captured Melania walking down the steps of Marine One in the dark, wearing oversized sunglasses. A similar moment occurred earlier that evening when she descended the stairs of Air Force One, still wearing the dark shades.

It took minutes for X (formerly Twitter) users to pounce.

One person wrote,

“Melania would probably do a better job navigating those stairs in stilettos if she wasn’t wearing dark glasses at night. What’s with that? Does she think she’s Anna Wintour?”

Another added,

“If she can’t wear her sunglasses, she’s hiding behind a big brimmed hat. She doesn’t want anybody looking at her and she doesn’t wanna look at anybody.”

Soon, the online conversation veered into familiar territory as some users revived the long-running conspiracy theory that a “body double” occasionally stands in for Melania.

“Why would the real Melania be wearing sunglasses after dark????”

one user asked.

Another chimed in,

“Sunglasses at night, that’s the doppelgänger, not the real version Melania.”

Someone even joked,

“Where is Melania channeling Cory Hart? Normal people don’t wear sunglasses at night,”

referencing the song Sunglasses at Night.

Still, not everyone saw the choice as strange. Some defended the former first lady, suggesting practical reasons:

“Maybe she doesn’t have eye makeup on and doesn’t want to be seen? I know if I’m going to fall asleep during a trip, I skip eye makeup so it doesn’t smear. (By the way, I am a liberal!),”

one commenter noted.

Others simply praised her style.

“Melania Trump should have a fashion book big enough for your coffee table. Don’t get me started on her coat, her jacket, her sunglasses. Lady is pure class,”

another user wrote.

As Christmas approaches, Melania has once again taken on the traditional role of welcoming the official White House Christmas tree—a familiar December duty for first ladies. But her history with holiday preparations hasn’t been without controversy.

In 2020, CNN released secretly recorded audio from 2018 in which Melania vented about the pressure of decorating the White House while simultaneously facing criticism for former President Trump’s immigration policies.

In the recording, she says:

“They say I’m complicit. I’m the same like him, I support him. I don’t say enough, I don’t do enough where I am. I’m working … my a** off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f*** about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?”

She went on to express her frustration over the backlash surrounding family separation at the border:

“OK, and then I do it and I say that I’m working on Christmas and planning for Christmas and they said, ‘Oh, what about the children that were separated?’ Give me a f****** break. Where were they saying anything when Obama did that?”

She added that she had tried to help reunite families but was limited by the legal system.

Now, with the holiday season beginning again, Melania is back in the public eye—even if unintentionally—because of a pair of sunglasses worn after dark.

Was it fashion? Privacy? Practicality? Or simply a personal preference?

What do you think Melania Trump was trying to signal by wearing sunglasses at night? Share your thoughts in the Facebook comments.