Cryptocurrencies, and NFTs in particular, are known to attract grifters. Apropos of nothing, Melania Trump has jumped into the fray with an NFT auction.
The first NFT on the new “platform” is called “Melania’s Vision” and is a watercolor of Melania Trump’s eyes painted by, not Melania Trump of course, but artist Marc-Antoine Coulon. Every edition of “Melania’s Vision,” which is being sold for 1 SOL (currently $188.73) on the Solana blockchain, will also come with “an audio recording of Mrs. Trump with a message of hope,” according to an announcement posted to Melania’s Twitter account on Thursday morning.
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The message, which plays when you click on the NFT image on Melania’s website, is: “My vision is: Look forward with inspiration, strength, and courage.” Here’s what the website says about the artwork itself:
“Marc-Antoine Coulon’s breathtaking watercolor embodies Melania Trump’s cobalt blue eyes, providing the collector with an amulet to inspire. Melania’s Vision provides the collector with strength and hope.”
The NFT sale website is a mess of crypto-boosterism (“No two NFTs are alike, thus providing exclusivity, scarcity, and value in the digital realm,” says the FAQ) and terms that are likely to be inscrutable to people who are not neck-deep in crypto already: Solana, MoonPay, Phantom, and so on. According to Melania’s announcement, the platform is also powered by Parler, the right-wing social network that has been deplatformed, archived by a hacker, and embroiled in the investigation into January 6 due to its users storming the capitol and posting about it.
Oh, but some of the proceeds (beyond the initial sale, there’s a 10 percent fee on any future sale) will go to helping kids who are exiting the foster care system, specifically with computer science and programming expertise.
“Melania’s Vision” may not be the last NFT that the former First Lady sells, either. The platform will “release NFTs in regular intervals” starting in January, the announcement threatens.
