Melania doubles-down on 'Be Best' initiative after Hillary takes swipe

Updated: December 12, 2024 - 9:00am

<p>Melania Trump Friday said that shehopesto expand her "Be Best" messageon issues such as combatting opioid addiction and promoting well-being and online safety.</p><p>Thanking theJustice Department officials for their work combating opioid addiction at the National Opioid Summit, she said these messages could go global.</p><p>"My initiative is meant to promote the positive actions happening in our communities to they can be replicated throughout the country and across the world,"she told a gathering of lawyers at Department of Justice.</p><p>She also highlighted statistics on the opioid epidemic and its impacton healthcare. </p><p>"While visiting treatment facilities across the country, I have had the opportunity to hold innocent newborns who were suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome. On average, babies born with this condition will be in the hospital four times longer than a healthy newborn," she said.</p><p>The First Lady's comments come a day after Hillary Clinton criticized the “Be Best” cyberbullying part of the initiative on Bravo’sWatch What Happens Live,saying Trump should focus on the behavior of her own husband.</p><p>“What do you honestly think of first lady Melania Trump’s cyberbullying initiative?” host Andy Cohen asked.</p><p>“I think she should look closer to home,” Clinton said.</p><p>First Lady has publicly acknowledged that she’s aware of the scrutiny brought on by the president’s use of Twitter, but said that the skepticism won’t stop her from addressing the issues.</p>