Someone Finally Asked Michelle Obama What Was in the Tiffany Box
"Never before do you get this gift, so I'm sort of like, 'OK, what am I supposed to do with this gift?'"
On Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day, when the new POTUS and first lady arrived at the White House, Melania Trump greeted Michelle Obama with a gift. Unsure of where to put the unexpected box, the the former first lady “made a face.” It was the moment that sparked a million memes.
Many felt Michelle’s facial expression perfectly summed up how we all felt on that day, and others dubbed it “the only good moment of this inauguration.”
*record scratches*
*freeze frame*
"you're probably wondering how i got in this situation" pic.twitter.com/GKtF2A7yAs— jason wong ?china (@EggrolI) January 20, 2017
For the past year, the world has speculated what was inside that pretty blue Tiffany package. Was it a box of diamonds? This $2000 domino set? The New York Times launched an investigation, but nothing was ever confirmed. The Internet, of course, had some ideas:
Melania giving Michelle her speech back pic.twitter.com/wADXYZfKrh
— chauncey (@chauncey_murphy) January 20, 2017
Inside the blue Tiffany's box Melania handed Michelle is just a desperately scrawled note that says "Take me with you."
— Amy Dillon (@amydillon) January 20, 2017
But alas, someone decided to ask Michelle Obama the pressing question. (Ellen Degeneres–the great uncoverer of all celebrity secrets–was apparently the only interviewer up to the task.)
And the gift was . . . “a lovely frame,” the former first-lady revealed. Nice! A frame is a great we’re-kicking-you-out-of-your-house gift–and there’s no shortage of Obama photos worthy of framing. There was, however, some awkwardness because of “protocol” and stuff–hence the meme-able reaction gif.
“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,” Obama explains to the audience, narrating what was going through her head in the moment: “Never before do you get this gift, so I’m sort of like, ‘O.K., what am I supposed to do with this gift?’ And everyone cleared out and no one would come and take the box. And I’m thinking, do we take the picture with it?” she told Ellen.
“And then my husband saved the day – see he grabbed the box and took it back inside?” she adds. President, style icon and graceful hero of awkward moments? We’d expect nothing less from Barack Obama.
