As the partner of the most powerful leader in the United States, the American First Lady often has to follow strict, and sometimes utterly strange, rules. While some of these measures are clearly enacted for safety purposes, other responsibilities—such as choosing dinner dishes for guests—are long-standing traditions that must be adhered to in order to avoid public backlash more than being formal regulations.
While the First Lady certainly enjoys some respected privileges, there remains a long list of things that cause her distress and that she must avoid.
**Driving**
Women who enjoy sitting behind the wheel may need to reconsider their dreams of becoming First Ladies. During her time as First Lady, Michelle Obama spoke with television host Stephen Colbert about the changes in her life and the frustrations she felt after obtaining this title, stating that one of the things that troubled her while living in the White House was the loss of the joy of driving, a situation that continued until her husband Barack Obama’s presidency ended. In an interview with People magazine, she also addressed some of the radical changes that the family experienced during her husband’s presidency, saying, “I can’t say I can drive my car; I still live in a bubble.”
However, it seems that the First Ladies may become used to refraining from driving, even after leaving the White House. An article from the Daily Mail revealed that former First Lady Hillary Clinton has not driven a car since the late 1990s. She stated at a conference in 2014, “The last time I drove a car myself was in 1996, and I remember it well. Unfortunately, the Secret Service elements could also be behind why I haven’t driven since then.”
**Redecorating the White House**
While it is expected for First Ladies to decorate the White House when they first move in, there are still limits to what they can do. According to ABC News, First Ladies can only renovate the areas where they live, which typically includes the second and third floors of the White House. Additionally, certain historical areas are prohibited from being redecorated without approval. This includes the Oval Yellow Room and the Lincoln Room. Author Kate Andersen Brower, in her book “First Ladies: The Power of the First Ladies in Modern America,” explains that the reason for decorating or modifying certain places is that “some parts of the White House are essentially historical rooms, and they belong to the American people, not to the families living there.”
If First Ladies or their families wish to make any changes to public areas, they must seek approval from the White House Historical Association. However, despite the boundaries regarding decoration, the First Lady is still granted a fair amount of freedom with the residential spaces, and the best part is that these modifications do not cost them a cent, as Congress funds the maintenance or renovation of suitable rooms as desired by the First Family every four years.
**Opening Windows**
In an interview with the famous American journalist Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama spoke about a strange rule she experienced during her husband's presidential life in the White House, stating, “In the White House, you cannot open a window.” She talked about her daughter Sasha's decision to break a window to get some fresh air, telling her, “You will not open it again.” In another conversation with Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show,” the First Lady confessed, “One day, which I considered a gift, my presidential guard allowed me to open the windows.”
Similarly, French First Lady Brigitte Macron commented on the restrictions of living in the White House after visiting former First Lady Melania Trump, as reported by The Guardian. Reportedly, Mrs. Macron stated that the American First Lady “cannot do anything,” before saying, “She can’t even open windows in the White House and cannot go out by herself. She is much more restricted than I am... I go out every day in Paris.” Clearly, when it comes to security, the Secret Service does not miss any opportunity to protect the First Lady or her family, which sometimes means adhering to some extreme measures.
