Melania Trump has read the line "You'll be as famous as famous can be" to sick children during a visit to a paediatric ward in New York City on World Book Day.
The First Lady brought a copy of Dr. Seuss’ Oh, The Places You’ll Go! — which she said was one of her favourite books — to read to the youngsters at New York Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan.
“You go places where you feel better,” she told them, showing them pictures, before reading: “You’ll be as famous as famous can be. With the whole wide world watching you win on TV.”
Ms Trump reportedly left Trump Tower before arriving at the ward holding a white box filled with Dr Seuss books bound with a golden ribbon.
“I came to encourage you to read — and to think about what you want to achieve in life,” she told the children.
The hospital marked Ms Trump's first solo outing as First Lady. She has otherwise kept a low profile, appearing only at her husband’s side for a number of official events.
It has subsequently been claimed the First Lady is “miserable” in her role, reluctantly grappling with how to embrace the increased scrutiny, but others have argued her low profile is an indication that she is still settling the family and is taking her time to determine how she will make an impact.
Former White House social secretary Ann Stock recently told the Washington Post: “Each First Lady takes on the role and makes it their own. That evolves over time. First [priority] for every President and First Lady is settling in their family."
Ms Trump assumed her role with the lowest favourability ratings of any modern first lady. Thirty-seven per cent of the public had a favourable view of her in a Gallup poll released in January, while the same percentage gave her an unfavourable rating.
Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton each had a favourability rating above 55 per cent when they became first lady.
