Melania Trump is back in the holiday spirit—at least, the money-making kind.
The first lady unveiled a pricey new set of Christmas ornaments this week, and the internet is not exactly feeling festive. Melania’s “250 Collection,” a line of six brass-and-enamel holiday ornaments, is being marketed as a patriotic tribute to America’s upcoming 250th birthday. But at $75 to $90 each—or $465 for the full set—many online are calling it what they see it as: a grift aimed squarely at MAGA wallets.
According to her website, the ornaments feature classic American landmarks like the Empire State Building, Mount Rushmore, and the Statue of Liberty, along with generic patriotic designs. Each one is stamped with Melania’s signature and, of course, the optional “unique digital collectible”—a phrase that just screams NFT energy, even if it’s not spelled out.
“I am excited to continue this annual holiday tradition with the Celebrating America collection of ornaments,” Melania said in a statement. “This year, I sought inspiration in our Nation’s upcoming 250th birthday, and all of the holiday blessings that we enjoy as Americans.”
The kicker? The ornaments might not even arrive until just before Christmas. Her website says shipping could take 10–12 weeks, which means anyone ordering now is banking on a very tight delivery window.
While she’s playing up the holiday cheer now, let’s not forget how Melania really felt about Christmas decorating during her time in the White House.
“I’m working like a, my ass off at Christmas stuff,” she said in a now-infamous leaked recording from 2020, courtesy of former aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. “You know, who gives a fuck about Christmas stuff and decoration, but I need to do it, right?”
Right.
Melania also earned side-eyes during her tenure for some pretty surreal White House Christmas aesthetics—who could forget the forest of blood-red trees or the cold, haunted-hospital hallway vibes?
This new holiday hustle comes at a time when everyday Americans are struggling with rising costs. Food prices are spiking faster than they have in nearly three years, according to USA Today. Beef and coffee just hit new record highs. Meanwhile, her husband Donald Trump has promised to lower prices “on day one” if re-elected—but apparently, that doesn’t apply to ornamental trinkets from the Trump brand.
Critics wasted no time slamming the $465 ornament set. On X (formerly Twitter), users called the rollout “tone-deaf,” “tacky,” and “the definition of grift.”
“$90 for a Christmas ornament in a recession? Melania must think MAGA folks are made of money,” one user posted.
Another wrote: “Melania selling overpriced ornaments after saying ‘who gives a f**k about Christmas’ is peak Trump hypocrisy.”
It’s not the first time Melania has dipped into the collectible/NFT space since leaving the White House. She’s quietly built a post-First Lady brand on limited-edition drops and digital memorabilia, all with a heavy patriotic polish and premium price tag.
But this latest stunt is rubbing people the wrong way—not because she’s selling, but because of what she’s selling and who she’s selling it to.
Grifting off Christmas? In this economy? Melania might think it’s business as usual, but the internet isn’t buying it.
