First lady Melania Trump was booed during an event, raising awareness about the youth opioid epidemic.
Trump traveled to Baltimore on Tuesday and gave brief remarks as part of the event, which was hosted by the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation. The crowd was mostly comprised of middle and high school-aged students.
As Trump began to speak, some in the audience began to boo. The crowd also talked throughout her approximately five-minute speech.
“We are here today to raise awareness of the opioid epidemic in our country and to educate young lives on how to live a drug-free life,” she told the audience. “Addiction and drug abuse are universal issues; they do not discriminate based on income, age, race, or where you live.”
Trump said that during her time as first lady, she has traveled to hospitals and treatment facilities across the country and has seen the devastation that opioid abuse has caused.
“Promoting education and awareness of these issues will always be one of my top priorities,” she said. “I’m in this fight with you, and I’m fighting for you.”
Trump also encouraged those in the audience who are struggling with substance abuse to reach out to others for assistance.
“It is never too late to ask for help,” Trump said.
She left the stage to a mixture of both cheering and boos from the audience. After the event, Jeremy Barr, a reporter for The Hollywood Reporter, noted, “As the press pooler with perhaps the most FLOTUS event coverage under my belt, I cannot recall another event where she was more negatively received. I believe it is also the first loud booing by an audience at a solo event with Mrs. Trump.”
WATCH: @FLOTUS Melania Trump remarks on opioids at B’More Youth Summit https://t.co/MUcymYqpuu pic.twitter.com/91MeT8tGzW
— CSPAN (@cspan) November 26, 2019
President Trump was recently booed when he and Melania attended Game 5 of the World Series at Nationals Park in Washington. Those in the audience could also be heard chanting, “lock him up.”
