First Lady Melania Trump has launched a new initiative positioning herself as a champion for women business leaders.
Melania, 56, rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday as she announced her new project, Imperia. The NYSE is hosting the first lady’s Imperia summit this week during the UN General Assembly and said the event is expected to highlight “the global economic power of women.”
“The world’s biggest untapped economic force is not a new market, a breakthrough technology, or an undiscovered natural resource. It is women coming together as owners,” Melania said. “Consider what happens without us. Remove women as consumers, investors, leaders, caregivers, innovators, and managers of household finances, and the modern economy would not work as it does today.”
“Together, we can convert individual success into collective momentum to create new opportunities, support each other’s growth, and drive lasting economic power,” she continued.
She added that “now is the time to move beyond mentorship, and toward ownership. Do not simply advise another woman; invest in her. Do not open another door; create a real opportunity.”
During an appearance on Fox & Friends to tout the new initiative, Melania said it will be “focused on advancing leadership as well as influence and economic power for women.”
“I’m very excited. We have incredible, top-of-the-class leaders from many CEOs, founders, innovators, and entrepreneurs,” she continued, adding, “the room is full.”
When asked what she hoped to do at the event, Melania said the initiative is a “unity platform” that will achieve “innovation, investment, strategic partnerships, also business meetings and business advances, and also economic prosperity for women.”
Her adviser, Marc Beckman, seemed to have a better grip on the mission, explaining to USA Today that Imperia is an invitation-only network that is designed to connect female C-suite executives to expand women’s business influence.
“The initiative will provide a forum and network for powerful women to do business together, move capital, influence policy, collaborate between sectors,” Beckman told the outlet.
Beckman explained that the first lady “intends to harness that collective strength, bringing together some of the world’s most influential executives around a shared vision for economic empowerment,” as he called the initiative “Davos for Women.”
The new initiative joins the first lady’s other two initiatives, her Be Best campaign, which advocates against cyberbullying, and her Fostering the Future initiative, which aims to improve the future of youth in the foster care system.
The flashy announcement at the NYSE comes as Melania has been noticeably absent from her husband’s second term in office. She has appeared in public less than 50 times since the start of the year, according to a Daily Beast analysis.
During the same Fox & Friends appearance, Melania appeared to address her noticeable absence from the public eye, but asserted that it was really because she is working hard behind the scenes.
“I’m just looking forward, I’m very focused, I’m very detail-oriented, and I’m very selective in what I do,” she said. “You don’t see me everywhere, but behind the scenes I’m working nonstop.”
She added, “I’m working on so many projects in the future. So stay tuned, and all is positive, all is great.”
