NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Melania Trump celebrates her 'Be Best' cyberbullying campaign, Twitter users urge her to 'Be Gone'

NZ Herald
15 Jan, 2021 10:09 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Melania Trump listens during an Oval Office announcement September 11, 2019 at the White House in Washington. Photo / Getty Images

Melania Trump listens during an Oval Office announcement September 11, 2019 at the White House in Washington. Photo / Getty Images

As turmoil continues in the US, the current First Lady of the country, Melania Trump, has taken to Twitter to celebrate her cyberbullying campaign "Be Best" — but she was met with backlash, as Twitter users pointed out the legacy of her role.

In a video posted to Twitter, Melania begged Americans to "give a voice to our Nation's children & the issues that impact their lives".

"It's the values & spirit of the American people that inspired Be Best," she wrote in the post.

As the legacy of #BeBest comes to a close at the @WhiteHouse, we must continue to give a voice to our Nation's children & the issues that impact their lives. It's the values & spirit of the American people that inspired Be Best & it's those values that will carry on its mission. pic.twitter.com/fRBTWphmlj

— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) January 15, 2021

The post was met with swift backlash as users pointed out her husband, Donald Trump, has been the perpetrator of cyberbullying himself, among other things.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"What legacy? Your husband demonstrated to children all over America that bullying wasn't just okay, it was something the President of the United States does. He modeled [sic] childish temper tantrums and insults for four years. That's your legacy, lady," one Twitter user responded.

What legacy? Your husband demonstrated to children all over America that bullying wasn't just okay, it was something the President of the United States does. He modeled childish temper tantrums and insults for four years. That's your legacy, lady. https://t.co/d0wNRT5hRv

— Elizabeth Spiers (@espiers) January 15, 2021

I think we saw "the legacy of #BeBest" at the Capitol building last week, anyway, byeeeeee https://t.co/GcsEjj8tiy

— Jason Bailey (@jasondashbailey) January 15, 2021

"Melania Trump is married to one of the nastiest bullies on the planet and was an active participant in the incredibly racist birther movement against Obama. #BeBest was nothing more than a smokescreen. Be better, Melania. Be much better," another person said.

Melania Trump is married to one of the nastiest bullies on the planet and was an active participant in the incredibly racist birther movement against Obama. #BeBest was nothing more than a smokescreen. Be better, Melania. Be much better. https://t.co/8DVyS5MSWA

— Mike P Williams (@Mike_P_Williams) January 15, 2021

You have been complicit in everything your traitorous husband has done. You have no legacy except being criminal along with your husband. What did you care about the most? Not being on Vogue? https://t.co/dvxAn4jElM

— Caroline Leavitt (@Leavittnovelist) January 15, 2021

A few Twitter users took the opportunity to point out that Melania's own legacy is not the best one, either.

Yeah. I remember your "I don't care" jacket that you wore to see kids your husband ordered into cages w/no adult care just guarded, not allowed to be comforted, not allowed soap & water, no bathing, clean diapers so feces ran down their legs over dried feces. Voice to kids? STFU https://t.co/Y3kGwFqju0

— 🗽⚖Noelle pour la Résistance et l'égalité 🕊🏛 (@NReveillee) January 15, 2021

A few Twitter users opted for responding to Melania's #BeBest tweet with a different hashtag: #BeGone.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

#BeGone https://t.co/WBmTcbAHVR

— Silent Rival (@silentrival) January 15, 2021

Hello, Mrs. Birther.
You are delusional.
You are complicit with your shameful husband.
Your family’s legacy is corruption, destruction, division, and death.
Oh, and our next First Lady loves Christmas.#BeGone https://t.co/hGd0o8Y8Xd

— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) January 15, 2021

Your legacy is racism as a birther, callous indifference to the suffering of immigrant children, hypocrisy for a laughable program to supposedly address bullying when you’re married to Trump, hating Christmas and building tennis courts as people died of #COVID19

Be best?#BeGone https://t.co/wj5ysh6K4V

— Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government #DemCast (@axidentaliberal) January 15, 2021

Discover more

World

Capitol rioters were 'moments away' from finding VP Mike Pence

15 Jan 06:56 PM
World

Trump to flee Washington before Biden inauguration

15 Jan 05:43 PM
World

Trump Senate trial to focus on his attacks on US election

15 Jan 07:37 AM
World

'Kill him with his own gun': Cop's chilling moment during riots

15 Jan 06:00 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

Mum found stabbed co-founded charity for victims of domestic violence

17 Jun 11:11 PM
World

UK votes to bar prosecution for abortions in England, Wales

17 Jun 10:39 PM
World

Gaza rescuers say Israel Army kills dozens of people waiting for aid

17 Jun 09:50 PM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

Mum found stabbed co-founded charity for victims of domestic violence

Mum found stabbed co-founded charity for victims of domestic violence

17 Jun 11:11 PM

Police arrested a man after Annabel Rook was found dead in north London.

UK votes to bar prosecution for abortions in England, Wales

UK votes to bar prosecution for abortions in England, Wales

17 Jun 10:39 PM
Gaza rescuers say Israel Army kills dozens of people waiting for aid

Gaza rescuers say Israel Army kills dozens of people waiting for aid

17 Jun 09:50 PM
New York's comptroller detained by federal agents

New York's comptroller detained by federal agents

17 Jun 09:27 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP