Overview
- The first lady and second lady made their first joint public trip without their husbands, meeting troops and families at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River ahead of Thanksgiving.
- At Lejeune High School and DeLalio Elementary, they joined classroom discussions where students showcased projects tied to the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge.
- In prepared remarks at the New River Mega Hangar, Melania Trump praised the Marine Corps’ 250 years of service and warned that AI will alter war more profoundly than nuclear weapons, stressing speed and growing autonomy in military systems.
- Trump recognized two Marines, Sergeant Blake Donoher and Corporal Daishamari Cannon, and closed by thanking service members, spouses and children for their sacrifice.
- A brief microphone feedback issue interrupted her school remarks for about 15 seconds before she continued, as coverage framed the trip as part of her stepped-up public engagement.