First Lady Melania Trump has once again been caught refusing to hold her husband's hand in a frosty on-camera exchange.
The US President and his wife were filmed disembarking Air Force One on Sunday night (local time) as they arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Washington DC after spending the weekend in New Jersey.
Trump can be seen reaching over to grasp Melania's hand as they descended the steps, with their 14-year-old son Barron trailing behind. However, the First Lady abruptly jerks her hand away. Trump tries a second time, but she again avoids his advances.
The footage has sparked both amusement and debate on social media, with some arguing Melania was attempting to hold down her dress in the windy weather. Others took great delight in her apparent shunning of Trump.
"Melania - once again - wanting nothing to do with Trump's small hands," journalist Rex Chapman tweeted.
"Melania tryna social distance her way into some divorce papers [sic]," another joked.
Another rushed to the presidential couple's defence, calling the pointed jokes "ridiculous".
"She was navigating stairs in heels and a dress. The wind was blowing and she was using one hand to hold the rail and the handbag to keep her skirt from flying up and showing everyone her bloomers," they argued.
However, the couple were later photographed holding hands as they crossed the tarmac.
It's not the first time Melania, 50, has appeared reluctant to publicly show affection toward her husband. The state of the Trumps' marriage has been the subject of frequent speculation, particularly in the aftermath of the President's affair with pornstar Stormy Daniels coming to light.
In January, Melania was filmed appearing to reject Trump's attempt to hold her hand at the College Football Championship in New Orleans. A mere month later, the couple again faced media scrutiny when Trump attempted to grab his wife's hand - which was firmly tucked inside her coat - while disembarking Air Force One.
Following revelations that Trump had paid a pornstar to keep silent on their affair, the First Lady openly ignored her husband's signal to hold hands while attending a state ceremony in April 2018. She kept her hand pinned to her side as Trump awkwardly grasped it. She was also seen moving out of the President's reach.
Melania, a former model, married Trump in 2005. The couple have one son, 14-year-old Barron. She is stepmother to Trump's four children from previous marriages - Donald Jr, Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany.
