Melania Trump chose to use china acquired by Hillary Clinton during her time as first lady back in 2000 in a state dinner with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife on Friday evening, according to a White House press release.
"The china settings for the baseplate and dinner service will consist of alternating patterns from the administrations of Presidents William J. Clinton and George W. Bush", the statement read as preparations for the meeting with Australia’s first couple were unfolding at the White House.
This is the second time that the first lady, who was the primary host of the state dinner, has used china from the Clintons - a family with which her husband may have unpleasant associations following Hillary’s unwarranted accusations of Trump colluding with Russia to influence the outcome of the 2016 election, which saw the former secretary of state defeated. During the first state dinner hosted by Melania Trump, which was with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron back in April 2018, she also used the plates bought during the Clinton administration - and Donald Trump, apparently, did not seem to mind.
The china set was commissioned by Hillary Clinton to celebrate the White House’s 200th anniversary back in 2000 and was the first service plate to feature an image of the White House at the centre.
"The colour scheme is cream and gold, and the china settings consist of the Clinton china for the baseplate, along with both Bush (43) and Clinton china for the dinner service", a White House press release stated at the time.
The Friday dinner menu featured some traditional Australian dishes and culinary adaptations, including sunchoke ravioli, Dover sole, and apple tart for dessert, with green and gold tunes outlined in the décor to pay homage to Australia's national colours.
Donald Trump defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a former first lady and senator, during the US presidential election in 2016, after which an in-depth investigation unfolded against him following pressure from Democrats amid accusations that he had collaborated with the Kremlin to influence the result of the national vote. The lengthy Mueller report concluded this summer that the accusations were not supported by any substantial evidence.
