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CAIRO – Back home, Washington was in turmoil, but the first lady had something in mind.
On one of the most important days of her beleaguered presidency, as the Senate approved her controversial choice for the Supreme Court, Melania Trump went to the edge of this sand-colored city and posed in front of the Great Sphinx , a hand in the pocket of his set inspired by men's clothing. Backed by the enigmatic monument, the first lady, equally enigmatic, did something unusual: she expressed herself.
"I would like people to focus on what I do," Ms. Trump said, exasperated, in rare comments to reporters: "Not what I wear."
Then came the fashion show.
Dressed in a beige blazer, a white shirt, a black tie and pants, Ms. Trump stood in the wind against the desert. As the dancers performed and the music played, she adjusted her jacket (Ralph Lauren), lowered her hat (Chanel) over her eyes and made sure that each angle was captured while her tour through Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt are coming to an end. Saturday.
It was a defining moment for a first lady who, perhaps more than any other in modern times, was happy to be a walking contradiction. It also sounded like a message to old acquaintances who prevented her from leaving her glamorous past because of their opposition to her husband. Stormy Daniels may have kissed Anna Wintour, but Ms. Trump still retains the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Since she moved to Washington, the capital has been upset by the distance that Mrs. Trump seems to put between her and her husband. When she managed to put a real distance between them – an ocean – when going to Africa, many noticed that she seemed to blossom.
But the trip also served to show just how much the two have in common.
Like the president, Trump has avoided long-standing American ideas about how those who choose to live in the White House should behave. And like him, Mrs. Trump is comfortable showing the world that she does not know what she does not know – and that she does not necessarily need to the knowledge.
The President, for his part, is satisfied with what he has seen.
"The first lady did a great job representing our country in Africa – as no one has done before," he said Sunday. "She got to know the people of Africa and they loved her and respected her wherever she went. Melania told me about her trip in detail and I am so proud of the work she does on behalf of children all over the world. She works so hard and all for love. "
Nevertheless, it was difficult to overlook the gap between the goodwill shown by Ms Trump during her trip and the Trump administration's uncompromising approach to foreign aid.
Her visit to Malawi, one of the world's poorest countries, took place when her husband's administration decided to cut funding for the US Agency for International Development by at least 30 percent. The administration also called for the elimination of funding for basic education in Malawi, according to the One Campaign, which fights against poverty. These budget proposals led to bipartisan opposition in Congress.
A journalist then asked Ms. Trump, who donated 1.4 million bilingual textbooks to children in Malawi, if she intended to return home and ask the president for additional funds for the children. 39, agency for humanitarian aid. She seemed to think about the question.
"We have money," Trump said as she answered questions to the Sphinx. "So we are helping countries and we are working hard to help them, and we will continue to help."
Ms. Trump also pointed out that if there was indeed a secret "resistance" to the White House, she was not part of it. Asked about the #MeToo movement and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, she gave what appeared to be a repeated response: she was happy that her accuser, a woman whose story publicly mocks Mr. Trump, was heard.
"We must help all victims, no matter what kind of violence they have suffered," she said. "I am against any form of abuse or violence."
Trump also appeared to be anticipating a question about reports that her husband has called African countries "shitholes", adopting White House jargon to dismiss these stories for being obtained anonymously.
Ms. Trump said that she wanted the world to know what she did in Africa. She highlighted the work of the US foreign aid agency on the continent, as well as its "Be Best" platform, focused on children.
The east wing has distributed school supplies to needy children, tote bags to teachers who need it, and cubs to abused or abandoned babies. Mrs. Trump held hands with orphans, cuddly babies, caressed baby elephants and greeted several first African ladies and the Egyptian president with a warm smile. The White House has produced several videos of Ms. Trump at each stop.
When asked what message she wanted to send on behalf of her husband's administration, the first lady said her trip was meant to "show the world that we are interested".
Advocacy groups say they hope the visit will end up being more than just photo opportunities.
"We hope the first lady will discuss with the President what she has seen in Africa," said Tom Hart, executive director for North America at One Campaign. "How the generosity of the United States saves lives, lifts people out of poverty and makes our country a beacon of hope for millions of people around the world – and we hope the President's next draft budget provides for full funding of these programs. "
As always, Ms. Trump could not avoid the critics during her trip. Reports of his decision to wear a white helmet, symbol of British colonial rule in Kenya, visibly frustrated her.
Others have asked that we leave some room for maneuver to Ms. Trump while she takes an unconventional approach to her role.
"She started the game from the first day, announcing that she would not leave immediately for the White House," said Anita McBride, Laura Bush's chief of staff. "People are not used to seeing the light of day between a president and a first lady, but by doing it from time to time, she demonstrates that she is her own person. And he praises her for that.
Indeed, shortly before her departure for her return flight, Ms. Trump again declared her independence from her husband. Or at least his Twitter account.
"I do not always agree on what he tweets, and I tell him," she said.
Sometimes, she says, she even asks the president to put down her phone.
"I have my own voice and my opinions," she said, "and it's very important to me that I express what I feel."
