First Lady Melania Trump delayed the White House spring garden tours by one day because of planned anti-Elon Musk protests on the National Mall. Her office mentioned safety concerns as the justification for the alteration in schedule.

Although she was not present at the tours, Melania participated in a State Department event on the same day. The “Hands Off!” rallies, which were organized in protest against President Trump and DOGE Director Elon Musk, attracted significant crowds in Washington, D.C.

The demonstrations also ignited controversy following inflammatory and xenophobic comments made by several Democratic lawmakers regarding both Melania and Musk. Critics focused on Musk’s South African background and raised questions about Melania’s citizenship status, even though she became a U.S. citizen in 2006.

This backlash has contributed to the existing political tensions related to the tech and immigration policies of the Trump administration.