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With the Trumps returning to the White House, what power do first ladies have?

First Lady Melania Trump speaks at a campaign rally, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson
/
AP
First Lady Melania Trump speaks at a campaign rally, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York.

The book "Remember the First Ladies" highlights the fascinating history of America's first ladies from Martha Washington to Melania Trump. Co-author Diana Carlin joined KCUR's Up To Date to tell their stories.

On Monday, the nation will inaugurate Donald J. Trump as the 47th President. The day will be a political whirlwind as one set of leaders and priorities moves out and another moves into Washington’s centers of power.

But, Inauguration Day also includes a dramatic transition in the East Wing of the White House, where First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will clean out her desk to make way for the last person to occupy that office before her: Melania Trump.

History is full of stories about the presidential partners, but sometimes we’ve missed just how influential and important they’ve been for shaping their husbands’ presidencies and the nation.

In the book "Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America's History-Making Women," Saint Louis University professor emerita Diana Carlin and her co-authors highlight the variety of ways in which first ladies approached their role.

"One of the nice things about the role is that it's not constitutionally or legally constituted," Carlin told KCUR's Up To Date.

"And so, because there's no real rule book, every woman has been able to do this her way. That's usually been based on what her interests are, what her background is, what she's comfortable with, what's going on in her husband's administration and how much authority her husband actually gives her."

  • Diana Carlin, professor emerita at Saint Louis University and former professor at the University of Kansas
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As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
As Up To Date’s senior producer, I want to pique the curiosity of Kansas Citians and help them understand the world around them. Each day, I construct conversations with our city’s most innovative visionaries and creatives, while striving to hold elected officials accountable and amplifying the voices of everyday Kansas Citians. Email me at zach@kcur.org.
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