First lady Melania Trump dared the media Tuesday to devote as much coverage to the nation’s opioid crisis as they do to “idle gossip or trivial stories.”
Wrapping up her first two-day domestic trip, Mrs. Trump hosted a town-hall meeting on opioid addiction in Las Vegas. She said the media needs to do a better job covering an epidemic that kills tens of thousands of Americans each year.
“I challenge the press to devote as much time to the lives lost — and the potential lives that could be saved — by dedicating the same amount of coverage that you do to idle gossip or trivial stories,” the first lady said. “When we see breaking news on TV, or the front pages of newspapers — it is my hope that it can be about how many lives we were able to save through education and honest dialogue.”
Mrs. Trump noted that nearly 72,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017 — about 197 per day.
It was Mrs. Trump’s first overnight domestic trip as she promoted her “Be Best” campaign across three states, and it coincided with the ramping up of the president’s 2020 re-election campaign.
While she didn’t specify “trivial stories,” Mrs. Trump ignored reporters’ shouted questions Monday about Michael Cohen, the president’s former lawyer. He told Congress last week that he felt badly for Mrs. Trump after he paid hush money to two women who said they had affairs with Mr. Trump.
At the town-hall event, the first lady said the media should consider children in the coverage of drug addiction.
“I wish the media would talk about more and educate more especially the children,” she told co-host Eric Bolling. “Just for example, we are here talking about it and I think it should be on every media on the front page of every newspaper. I think that every person would follow.”
She suggested that parents begin talking to their children around age 8 about drugs.
“Nowadays the children are so smart and the life is so fast and they have access to everything,” she said. “We need to teach them at very early age how bad drugs are.”
Mrs. Trump said she has discussed drugs with son Barron, who is 12.
“I teach him, I try to explain how drugs are dangerous and how they will mess up your head, mess up your body and nothing positive comes of it, ” the first lady said.
She said everyone needs to play a role in solving the crisis.
“If even one of you leaves here today and talks to a friend or family member about the potential to end this crisis, then we have succeeded,” she said. “Ending this epidemic will require continued effort by the entire country, including the government, neighborhoods and communities, and private organizations.”
The event was held at the International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas with Mr. Bolling, a former Fox News anchor who lost a child to opioid addiction.
Reporters traveling with the first lady said the arena appeared to be about half full.
On Monday, the first lady visited Oklahoma to meet with students about teamwork and kindness, then traveled to Microsoft headquarters in Washington state for demonstrations of new technology and safety programs.
She also answered some questions of a more personal nature about life in the White House. Asked what’s a good meal for the entire Trump family, she said, “maybe spaghetti.”
Mr. Bolling asked if she cooks in the White House.
“I didn’t do that yet, honestly,” Mrs. Trump said. “There are always little snacks to prepare for my son. They [the chefs] do a good job in the White House. They are real professionals and I want to keep them.”
She said her days in the White House are “very busy.”
“I wake up very early and make sure my son gets off to school,” Mrs. Trump said. “And then I start working. I have a team in my East Wing. I have a hundred people working in the residence and then working with the White House Historical Association to make sure the White House is perfect.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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