White House announces Melania is putting a 'phenomenal' Governors' dinner

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said US President Donald Trump’s wife has put a lot of time planning for the annual Governors Dinner. He said Melania Trump was aiming to host a “phenomenal” event.

"Mrs Trump looks forward to putting on a phenomenal event, and the First Lady has put a lot of time into this event that's going to occur in welcoming our nation's governors to the Capitol," Spicer told the press. In a statement, the first lady said she is proud to invite the governors of the United States at the White House for the Governors' Dinner. She added that the scent of jasmine and roses will fill the air for the event.

“I am proud to invite all the governors to the White House for this important annual event. Tonight, we come together as one Nation, leaving political labels and partisan interests behind,” she said.

The first lady is reportedly being helped by her long time friend, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. Wolkoff, who is currently acting as senior adviser to the first lady, has been planning the event as well according to Time. She has previously organised events like the Met Gala, reports CNN.

Anita McBride, who worked in the White House as Laura Bush's chief of staff, said the Governors' Dinner is considered as kind of the first formal state dinner-type event at the White House, especially for the Trump administration. McBride described the event as “every bit as large as a state dinner,” as it was expected to be attended by 50 governors and their plus-ones. She noted that the State Dining Room can hold up to 134 people. Thus it is likely that the Trumps would have invited other guests as well.

Furthermore, McBride has commented that Melania, so far, seemed comfortable in her new role as the "hostess of the nation." The first lady has reportedly entertained Akie Abe, the Japanese prime minister's wife, as well as Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israel Prime minister Ma'am. Benjamin Netanyahu. “I'm sure she's very conscious of the traditions of an event like this,' McBride said of the Governors event.

Laura Dowling, who served as chief White House floral designer under the administration of former US President Obama for six years, said she thinks the event is an exciting time. "The Governors' Dinner is an opportunity for the new first lady to usher in a new era of elegant White House entertaining,” she said. Dowling is also the author of the recently released book "Floral Diplomacy at the White House.”