Jack Schlossberg, the 32-year-old grandson of President John F. Kennedy, posted a video on social media on Sunday, August 17, mocking First Lady Melania Trump’s letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The political commentator donned a blonde wig and imitated Trump’s Slovenian accent while reading her humanitarian appeal regarding children affected by the war in Ukraine.
In the Instagram video, which garnered over 200,000 views, Schlossberg performed what he called a “dramatic reading” of the first lady’s letter. After finishing the complete text, he maintained the accent while stating, “What am I saying? This makes no sense.”
Schlossberg then dropped the impersonation and offered his critique, indicating the letter made no sense and said nothing beyond “melodic laughter.” He suggested Melania Trump could speak to someone who could actually do something about ending the war, referring to President Donald Trump, who met with Putin in Alaska on Friday.
The letter in question was dated August 15 and hand-delivered to Putin during the Alaska summit. The meeting concluded without reaching a ceasefire agreement to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022 and has now lasted over three years.
In her correspondence, Melania appealed to Putin regarding the protection of children affected by the conflict. The letter declared that every child shares the same dreams regardless of their birthplace, whether in a nation’s rustic countryside or a magnificent city center, expressing hopes for love, possibility, and safety from danger.
The first lady emphasized parental and leadership duties to nurture future generations, stating that responsibilities extend beyond the comfort of a few. She urged Putin to create a dignity-filled world where every soul may wake to peace and the future itself remains perfectly guarded.
Trump’s letter specifically addressed Putin’s potential role in ending children’s suffering, noting that each generation begins with purity and innocence that transcends geography, government, and ideology. She referenced children forced to carry quiet laughter despite darkness around them, describing it as silent defiance against forces that could claim their future.
She concluded her appeal by telling Putin he could singlehandedly restore children’s melodic laughter and that protecting their innocence would serve humanity itself, not just Russia. She characterized this as a bold idea transcending human division and declared that Putin was fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen, ending simply with “It is time.”
Speaking to TMZ, Schlossberg defended his mockery and questioned Melania’s motives. He described her letter as “half-assed” and criticized the Alaska summit itself, arguing it lacked clear goals and represented poor foreign policy.
Schlossberg indicated this was not a random attack but a response to Melania inserting herself on the world stage at the highest level during an active war in Europe. He rejected the notion that her desire for peace made the letter immune from criticism, expressing skepticism about her true intentions.
Schlossberg also took aim at Vice President JD Vance in a separate social media post, jokingly claiming he borrowed the blonde wig from Vance, who allegedly left it on a couch. This referenced a baseless claim that became a meme during the 2024 election campaign.
Schlossberg’s video sparked immediate backlash from conservative commentators, who called his impersonation disrespectful and an embarrassment to the Kennedy family legacy. The controversy comes less than a week after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer appointed Schlossberg to the bipartisan America 250 Commission, which oversees preparations for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
The Harvard graduate has developed a reputation for provocative social media posts and has previously targeted various public figures, including his cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom he called a liar during Senate confirmation hearings. Earlier this year, he briefly deleted his social media accounts after apologizing for mocking his cousin’s voice disorder.
Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian children has become a deeply sensitive issue, with Ukraine calling the abductions of tens of thousands of children a war crime, meeting the UN treaty definition of genocide. The United Nations Human Rights Office has documented Russia’s infliction of suffering on millions of Ukrainian children since the 2022 invasion began.
