Melania Trump received a rather cold welcoming in Baltimore on Tuesday when her appearance at a youth summit aimed at raising awareness about the opioid crisis was met with a chorus of boos, CNN reported.
The audience, made up mostly of middle and high school students, started jeering as the first lady took the stage and remained noisy throughout the duration of her five-minute speech.
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Trump was addressing the crowd of students at the B’More Youth Summit on Opioid Awareness at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
The event was part of her “Be Best” youth campaign which includes a focus on the current epidemic of opioid misuse plaguing the U.S.
“Opioid dependence, addiction, and abuse are an epidemic in this country,” the official Be Best website explains. “Be Best will support the families and children affected by this crisis, bring attention to neonatal abstinence syndrome, and help educate parents on the importance of healthy pregnancies.”
As the first lady was introduced to the stage in Baltimore, the crowd simultaneously booed and cheered.
CNN reporter Kate Bennett tweeted about the first lady’s poor reception from the crowd of some one-thousand students, and added that even once Melania was at the podium and began her speech, the crowd remained vocal.
Speaking above the loud, persistent heckling, Trump addressed the crowd and thanked the students for attending.
“I am so proud of you for the bravery it takes to share that you have been strongly affected by the opioid epidemic in some way,” she said, adding that she wants to raise awareness and help educate young people about living drug-free lives.
At the end of her speech, the first lady told the students, “I am in this fight with you, and I am fighting for you.”
“I know each one of you has hopes and dreams for the future, whether it is college, joining the military, or playing a sport,” she said, raising her voice to be heard above the stream of jeers from the crowd. “Your future will be determined by the choices you make.
“Using drugs will only slow you down and prevent you from achieving those goals.”
As she concluded her speech and walked off stage, the boos once again increased in volume and lasted a full minute.
CNN’s Bennett tweeted to say that in all the years she has been responsible for covering the first lady’s appearances, “that was the worst booing she has received at a public event where she was given solo remarks.”
Footage of Trump’s booing at the youth summit has gone viral on social media.
One clip on Twitter has amassed over 40,000 views in just one day, and people in the comments appear to largely support the hecklers.
“It’s harder to fool kids,” one user wrote. “They can spot a phony a mile away.”
Another added, “She has earned every second of disdain she receives.”
Watch the full video of Trump’s speech here .
The first lady’s husband, President Donald Trump, has a poor relationship with the people of Baltimore.
In July, the POTUS came under fire for a a series of tweets in which he branded the city “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” where he claimed “no human being would want to live.”
In the same tirade, Trump criticized the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings who represented parts of the city in congress for decades. When he visited Baltimore in September, the president was met with protests, including a giant inflatable rat.
The first lady has since responded to the vocal hate she received by the students at the event.
In a statement to CNN she said, “We live in a democracy and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but the fact is we have a serious crisi in our country and I remain committed to educating children on the dangers and deadly consequences of drug abuse.”
This certainly isn’t the first time a member of the Trump family has been publicly booed at an event.
The POTUS was previously booed at an MLB World Series game and then again at a UFC match in New York City, although some (including Trump’s own sons ) have argued his appearance actually inspired cheers.
Donald Trump Jr., was also recently booed offstage by his own supporters while promoting his new book.
During a visit to the UCLA campus to sign copies of his book, “Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence US,” Trump Jr. announced there would be no Q&A session.
This prompted the audience to grow restless and chant “Q and A” as he took to the stage. Although scheduled to last two hours, it was only 20 minutes before Trump and his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, left the stage.
h/t: CNN
