Melania Trump's sartorial choice in June 2018—a jacket emblazoned with the phrase "I really don't care, do u?"—was not merely a fashion statement but a loaded message, as revealed in Katie Rogers' forthcoming book, "American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden."

According to Rogers, the former First Lady's decision to don the controversial jacket was a veiled jab not at the press, as many speculated, but at Ivanka Trump, underscoring the alleged internal rivalries within the First Family.

The book delves into the complex relationship between Melania and Ivanka Trump, highlighting the overlapping roles and apparent tensions that marred their interactions within the White House. Despite Melania's reservations about the involvement of President Trump's children in official operations, Ivanka, alongside her husband Jared Kushner, held advisory positions in the West Wing, with Trump's sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, actively participating in the campaign trail.

The choice of the jacket, as per the insights shared by Trump administration officials with Rogers, was emblematic of Melania's discontent with Ivanka's prominent role in White House affairs. Worn during a trip to the Upbring New Hope Children's Shelter in McAllen, Texas—a visit aimed at addressing the plight of migrant children separated from their families at the border—the jacket's message was initially perceived as tone-deaf by critics, sparking widespread backlash.

Melania Trump, an immigrant herself who became a U.S. citizen in 2006, was instrumental in persuading President Trump to issue an executive order halting the administration's policy of family separations at the border. The controversy surrounding her attire led to a heated confrontation in the Oval Office upon her return, with President Trump reprimanding both Melania and Stephanie Grisham, Melania's top aide at the time, and subsequently crafting an official narrative that positioned the jacket's message as a direct challenge to the media's criticism.

In a subsequent interview with ABC News, Melania clarified her intentions, stating that the jacket was intended to express her indifference towards the "left-wing media" and their critiques, emphasizing that her actions and commitments to what she deemed right would remain unaffected by external judgment. She explicitly noted that the jacket was not worn for the children but rather as a statement against the media's obsession with her fashion choices.

The episode, as chronicled in Rogers' book, sheds light on the nuanced and often tumultuous interactions within the Trump White House, revealing the personal dynamics and silent protests that shaped public perceptions and internal policies during Donald Trump's presidency.