Michelle Obama reveals what was in the Tiffany box Donald and Melania Trump gave her as an inauguration gift

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Michelle Obama reveals what was in the Tiffany box Donald and Melania Trump gave her as an inauguration gift

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Michelle Obama Melania Trump

Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP

  • Former first lady Michelle Obama says the gift she received from first lady Melania Trump was a wrapped picture frame.
  • But after getting the gift from her, Obama was unsure of what to do with it.
  • A popular GIF from the inauguration shows Obama awkwardly trying to figure out what to do with the wrapped box.


Former first lady Michelle Obama has finally revealed what was in the blue Tiffany gift box she received from President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at last year's inauguration.

In a sneak peek from the former first lady's interview with TV host Ellen DeGeneres, her first since moving out of the White House, Obama said the incoming first lady had given her a "lovely frame" on the steps of the White House, hours before the official swearing-in ceremony.

Obama said what looked like a casual meeting was actually carefully crafted and rather ceremonial.

"Well, there's all this protocol. I mean, this is like a state visit, so they tell you that 'you're going to do this, they're going to stand here.' Never before do you get this gift, so I'm sort of like, 'okay,'" Obama told Ellen.

The exchange generated attention online for its slight awkwardness - although Barack Obama and Donald Trump had met several times after the election, the inauguration meeting was the first time the two men had met together with their wives.

Trump garnered some backlash for apparently abandoning his wife as she got out of the car. Once everyone was where they needed to be, though, the couples greeted each other with handshakes and cheek-kisses, but after getting the wrapped frame from Melania, Michelle seemed unsure where to put it.

"What am I supposed to do with this gift?" Michelle recalled herself thinking. "And everyone cleared out and no one would come and take the box. And I'm thinking do we take the picture with [it]?"

Thankfully though, the out-going president swooped in to alleviate the situation.

"And then my husband saved the day - see he grabbed the box and took it back inside," Michelle said.

Ellen's interview with Obama is set to air Thursday night.