First lady speaks of courage

WASHINGTON — Melania Trump spoke about courage on Friday — what it is and why the world needs it. Her closely watched public appearance came a day after a former Playboy model told the world details of a 10-month affair the model says she had with a married Donald Trump a decade before he was elected president.

If the relationship Karen McDougal alleges was on the first lady’s mind, she gave no hint of it.

A standing ovation greeted a smiling Mrs. Trump as she entered a State Department auditorium for an annual awards ceremony honoring non-U.S. women for acts of courage. She took her seat on stage in a plush chair and listened as State Department official Heather Nauert introduced her as a philanthropist and humanitarian who is focused on the wellbeing of children and who works tirelessly to raise awareness of the damaging effects of opioid addiction and cyberbullying.

Then it was Mrs. Trump’s turn to speak.

“As we recognize these incredible women, let us think for a moment about what courage truly is,” the first lady said. “Courage is the quality most needed in this world. Yet, it is often the hardest to find. Courage sets apart those who believe in a higher calling and those who act on it.

“It takes courage not only to see wrong, but strive to right it,” she continued.

The first lady said “we can teach young women and girls all over the world what it means to have courage and to be a hero” by publicizing the honorees’ stories.