Leaked audio exposed Melania Trump's disdain for a White House tradition she'll have to endure again

Melania Trump is headed back to the White House for her second turn as First Lady, but there's one tradition she's likely not looking forward to.

It is the First Lady's task to oversee the Christmas decorations including multiple Christmas trees.

It is understood Melania, 54, isn't fond of this particular tradition.

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It was in 2020 that tapes of Melania, which were secretly recorded in the summer of 2018, were played on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360°.

They were recorded by Melania's former friend and senior advisor Stephanie Winston Wolkoff.

"I'm working … my a-- off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f--- about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?" Melania is heard saying in the leaked audio.

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She continued: "OK, and then I do it and I say that I'm working on Christmas and planning for the Christmas and they said, 'Oh, what about the children that they were separated?'"

Her comment about children is understood to be about her husband's policy of separating families who illegally crossed the southern border.

Melania released a personal essay to say her comments had been taken out of context – but as Vanity Fair pointed out last week, her words are still fresh in people's minds, and the difference between her attitude to her duties in public and behind closed doors is jarring to many.

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Melania saw through her festive responsibilities, including taking delivery of the first official White House Christmas tree and posting photos of her handiwork on social media.

"America the beautiful", a reference to the popular patriotic song of the same name – and, in her words, a tribute to and showcase of the "majesty" of the United States.

The images showed Melania inspecting a hallway lined with towering Christmas trees, walking down a grey carpet lined with festive urns, and pondering a model train set making its way around an enormous table decked with holly.

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She was dressed in the pictures in a festive gold lamé blouse, close-fitting below-the-knee black pencil skirt, and towering black stilettos.

According to The Associated Press, ornaments on the official White House Christmas Tree in the Blue Room were designed by students from across the country, asked by the National Park Service to highlight the people, places and things that make their states beautiful.

Although she won't have to worry about it until 2025 as this year's decorations are still the responsibility of Jill Biden, the wife of outgoing US president Joe Biden.

Donald Trump will be inaugurated following his sweeping election win on January 6.

This isn't the only time Melania has struggled to maintain traditions as First Lady. She reportedly chose not to meet with Jill Biden last week, a symbolic gesture ahead of the changing of presidential hands.

Donald Trump was left to travel to the White House solo to meet with outgoing president Joe Biden.

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