::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

Agency-specific Ambassadors will Serve as Liaisons with the East Wing to Help Improve the Lives of Children WASHINGTON, D.C. – First Lady Melania Trump’s BE BEST campaign reaches new heights.  Today, the Office of the First Lady is announcing 21 BE BEST Ambassadors from key agencies across the Administration to help further the First Lady’s goal of educating children and parents about the issues they face, and promoting programs and services available to help them with today’s challenges. At her one-year anniversary celebration in May, Mrs. Trump acknowledged and thanked BE BEST’s first Ambassador, a representative with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).  The First Lady also called upon other agencies across the Administration to appoint a BE BEST Ambassador and today, the office is proud to be working alongside 22 BE BEST Ambassadors, who will focus on resources and opportunities to help make a difference in the lives of children. Sin...

First Lady Melania Trump’s Visit to Accra and Cape Coast, Ghana American First Lady Melania Trump visit neo-natal hospital in Accra, Ghana on October 2, 2018. First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Accra, Ghana Tuesday morning.  Mrs. Trump was greeted by the First Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States Embassy to Ghana, Christopher Lamora.  Flowers were presented to Mrs. Trump and local schoolchildren greeted her waving United States and Ghanaian flags.  Mrs. Trump was welcomed to the Jubilee Lounge for an official meeting with Mrs. Akufo-Addo. In the afternoon, accompanied by USAID Administrator, Mark Green, Mrs. Trump visited the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, also known as Ridge Hospital.  The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides robust assistance to this hospital, specifically to support maternal, newborn, and child health.  The First Lady and Admin...

A day after Pres. Trump reversed the zero tolerance at the border rule that separated children from their parents at the U.S.-Texas border  First Lady Melania Trump traveled to McAllen, Texas today to visit children at Upbring New Hope Children’s Center, a nonprofit social services center that is a grantee of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Reform.  The First Lady had also planned to visit children and families at the customs and border patrol processing center, but was unable due to severe weather.  The First Lady was accompanied by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar.  Upon arrival at Upbring New Hope, Mrs. Trump was met by the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kurt Senske and Program Director Roy De La Cerda.      Mrs. Trump participated in a roundtable discussion with leaders and staff of Upbring New Hope and asked questions a...

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released information on how States can cover the cost of treating babies suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).  NAS occurs when babies are exposed to opioids or other addictive drugs during pregnancy, and then experience painful withdrawal symptoms during their first few weeks of life.    It is our responsibility to do all we can to ensure our most vulnerable are protected.  This past year, I visited Lily’s Place in West Virginia, where addiction recovery treatment is available to the entire family.  “ Be Best” is dedicated to bringing attention to successful programs like Lily’s Place because our nation needs more programs like these to help struggling Americans.  I am proud to support HHS in its continued efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.  I encourage States, hospital groups, and nonprofits to click here to read more on the benefits and waivers available to help ...

On Monday First Lady Melania Trump had a successful kidney surgery for a benign condition at the Walter Reid Medical Center in Bethesda, MD on Monday. President Trump visited his wife after the procedure and thanked well-wishers and said Mrs. Trump was in good spirits in a tweet.   According to Communications Director Stephanie Grisham, " First Lady Melania Trump underwent an embolization procedure to treat a benign kidney condition.  The procedure was successful and there were no complications." Mrs. Trump won't be coming home just yet, however.  "Mrs. Trump is at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and will likely remain there for the duration of the week.  The First Lady looks forward to a full recovery so she can continue her work on behalf of children everywhere," Grisham added. Mrs. Trump is t

First Lady Melania Trump will be representing her family at the Saturday funeral of late First Lady Barbara Bush.  Pres. Trump is not expected to attend.  Mrs. Trump called Mrs. Bush a "woman of strength" in a condolence statement the White House released only in her name.  First Ladies often attend funerals without their husbands.   Per usual presidential protocol, however, condolence statements are released in the names of the couple, such as in the case of the condolence statement from Vice President Pence and his wife. Barbara Bush, a graduate of the prestigious Wellesley College for women, who counts among its alums Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, once said, "I don't know how a woman can vote for Donald Trump."  While the relationship between the families is strained, Pres. Trump honored Mrs. Bush with an order for government entities to fly flags at half-staff through sunset on Saturday.  The Bush family was fond of th...

buzzz worthy. . .#melaniagate By Mona Austin A "fall girl" has emerged in the wake of Melania Trump's RNC plagiarism snafu: Meredith McIver. McIver is allegedly a speech writer employed in the Trump Organization and admits she used "some of the phrasing" from First Lady Michelle Obama's 2008 DNC speech that she got from Melania when they were working on the speech over the phone. In a letter issued yesterday on Trump Organization letterhead She said she added the passages she had taken notes on without actually reading the Obama speech. In the letter McIver explains it was a mistake for which she feels "terrible." She also said she attempted to resign, but Donald Trump gave his blessing for her to remain employed with his company. In defending Mrs. Trump's speech, Paul Manafort, Trump campaign manager of communications offered and explanation that contradicts McIver's. On the morning following the speech he appeared on CNN ...

Melania Trump, photo from www.harpersbazaar.com. Melania Trump, the wife of presumptive GOP candidate Donald Trump is the keynote speaker at the Republican Convention in Cleveland tonight. A native of Sevnica, Slovenia, she will be the first, president's wife since Louisa Adams who was not born in America if her husband is elected. Mr. am Mrs. Trump have a nine-year-old son together. Mrs. Trump speaks five languages and has been a professional model. She also studied architecture. Some of her critics are concerned thatshe wil bring shame to the role of FLOTUS. The Trumps downplayed photos of her that circulated online that resembled soft porn. Mr. Trump will introduce his wife tonight. The so called "law and order candidate"does not have the support of many mainline GOP leaders. The typical party icons that show up for formality sake are not present, nor are some of his key former opponents, Ohio governor Kasich and Florida senator Marco Rubio. Ex-rivals B...