'I thought it was a joke': Melania Trump selling off her stuff causes questions about her cash needs

Former First Lady Melania Trump offered up a new non-fungible token (NFT) piece of artwork last week and this week she's selling the hat she wore during an official state visit to the U.S. by French President Emmanuel Macron. She has also autographed the hat for the buyer and the prices start at $250,000.

Mrs. Trump, a former model, focused a lot on her fashion while in the White House. She is the first among the first ladies to auction off her belongings, though she says that a "portion" of the funds will go to her "Be Best" campaign's foster care initiative, which aimed to fight bullying.

It's unknown if the former first lady intends to offer any additional auction items in the future. The auction runs through Jan. 25.

The auction prompted confusion and frustration from those online. Some thought it wasn't a real news story. Others speculated whether the funds would truly go to charity, highlighting the "portion" part of her statement. Many noted that the move was another example of the Trump family grifting off of their time in the White House.

Suspicion is reasonable given the track record of the Trump family charity that had to be shut down due to fraud. Trump used the 501(c)3 to get associates to donate to causes and then he would cut a check to the charity, taking a considerable amount off the top.

In one incident, Eric Trump took funds that were meant for the children's cancer charity, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. While saying that the Trump properties were all free to use for charitable events, it turns out they profited $1.2 million off of the fundraiser, reported Forbes. The 2019 report resulted in an investigation from the New York attorney general.

In another case, former President Donald Trump claimed in 2016 he would host a veterans charity event instead of attending a presidential debate. The funds weren't sent to the charities he promised until after reports became public that he hadn't sent the groups any money. Ultimately, a judge ordered the Trump Foundation to pay out $2 million to charities and close the foundation.

See some of the comments from those online below: