First lady Melania Trump was honored with the âPatriot of the Yearâ award at the seventh annual Fox Nation Patriot Awards.
The event, held Thursday night in in Brookville, New York, âhonors the nationâs unsung heroes and ordinary people achieving extraordinary goals,â per Fox News.
Trump has become an advocate for children.
âI applaud American dreamers and innovators who embrace originality,â Trump said. âLetâs embrace the spirit of ambition. Letâs celebrate everyone who dares to think differently. For it is these courageous Americans who are the heartbeat of our civilization.â
âMost innovators know âitâs lonely when you are close to the edge of imagination â whenyou have a deep belief in your own power to create new realities. This is exactly where real change begins,â she said, per a press release from the White House.
Trump also took time to speak to the cynics.
âEvery breakthrough starts with one person daring to imagine whatâs never been done. Her friends call it unrealistic, her family declares its âfar-fetchedââbut the human spirit moves forward anyway, turning vision into reality. One mind, one idea, one act of courage, Trump added.
She received the award a year after her husband, President Donald Trump, was honored last year when he was president-elect.
The first lady has seen some success in her work on behalf of children.
In October, she revealed that her discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin helped reunite eight Ukrainian children with their families.
Trump penned a âpeace letter,â which was delivered by her husband when he met with Putin August summit in Alaska.
She also supported the âTAKE IT DOWN Actâ legislation to protect children and their families from online exploitation and extortion.
In particular, the act zeros in on the non-consensual sharing of explicit images.
She secured a $25 million investment in the presidentâs fiscal year 2026 budget to provide housing and support for youth leaving foster care.