Fatima Hussein, Associated Press Fatima Hussein, Associated Press
Darlene Superville, Associated Press Darlene Superville, Associated Press
Leave your feedback
WASHINGTON (AP) — In the White House’s East Room on a rainy Thursday, first lady Melania Trump and members of the Bush family gathered to unveil a U.S postage stamp bearing the portrait of former first lady Barbara Bush.
Watch the unveiling in the video player above.
Amid the anticipation of the unveiling, Trump, Bush’s daughter Dorothy “Doro” Bush Koch and Judy de Torok, a vice president at U.S. Postal Service, took turns sharing stories chronicling the former first lady’s life and achievements.
WATCH: New book explores the evolving role of America’s First Ladies
Bush Koch held back tears recalling moments from her mother’s early life. “Mom was never one to shy away from speaking the truth or taking a stand,” she said. “With her signature white hair and pearls, she became an icon in her own right, and yet, even as a former first lady, she remained humble and humorous.”
The image on the stamp is Barbara Bush’s official White House portrait, which currently hangs in the entrance to the East Wing. She is depicted in a black suit and purple blouse, wearing her hallmark triple strand of pearls.
After a commemoration ceremony in Kennebunkport, Maine, where the Bush family compound is located, the stamp will go on sale June 10th.
READ MORE: ‘She was this kind of person they don’t make any more.’ Friends, former staff remember Barbara Bush
Bush notably championed literacy programs and helped destigmatized people with AIDS and HIV when she cradled an infant during a 1989 visit to a hospice for children with the disease. Trump said Bush “changed the national conversation on AIDS and took a stand supporting gay rights.”
Trump also said she appreciated how Bush inspired people to pursue their personal dreams and was ahead of her time when she made the call for a female American president.
“Who knows?” Trump said. “Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps and preside over the White House, and I wish him well,” she said to laughs.
Barbara Bush died in 2018 at 92 years-old. She was married to President George H. W. Bush. She is the mother of former President George W. Bush.
WATCH: How America’s first ladies balanced public and private life
She was one of only two first ladies who had a child who was elected president. The other was Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams and mother of President John Quincy Adams.
And in 2016 — at 90 years-old — Barbara Bush campaigned for her son, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush when he vied for the Republican presidential nomination, according to the George H. W. Bush library.
She had strong words for Donald Trump — back in 2016 she said in a joint CNN interview with Jeb Bush that she was “sick” of the current president. “He’s said terrible things about women, terrible things about the military. I don’t understand why people are for him, for that reason,” she said at the time.
Melania Trump attended Bush’s funeral in 2018 while Donald Trump did not attend. The White House said he stayed away to avoid security disruptions.
Bush is the eighth first lady to be honored with a U.S. postage stamp.
Bush Koch said “it’s unlikely that mom ever pictured herself on the postage stamp, and it’s very likely that she would be wondering what all this fuss is about.”
Your tax-deductible donation ensures our vital reporting continues to thrive.
By Darlene Superville, Associated Press
By Hannah Grabenstein
By Bill Barrow, Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri, Rick Gentilo, Associated Press
By Adriana Gomez Licon, Associated Press
By News Desk and Associated Press
By Laura Barrón-López, Shrai Popat
By Associated Press
By Juan A. Lozano, John L. Mone, Associated Press
By Matt Loffman, Saher Khan
By PBS News Hour
Fatima Hussein, Associated Press Fatima Hussein, Associated Press
Darlene Superville, Associated Press Darlene Superville, Associated Press
Support Provided By: Learn more
Support PBS News:
Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.
Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.
© 1996 – 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved.
PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Sections
About
Stay Connected
Subscribe to Here’s the Deal with Lisa Desjardins
Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.
Support for News Hour Provided By
WATCH: First lady Melania Trump unveils new stamp for former first lady Barbara Bush – PBS
