Thirteen-year-old DJ Daniel, who defied the odds while battling brain cancer and became an overnight success story, greeted First Lady Melania Trump with smiles during a recent White House visit.
Daniel’s inspiring journey gained widespread attention after he was one of a select group invited by President Donald Trump to attend his speech before Congress last week. During the address, Trump highlighted the young boy by naming him an honorary member of the U.S. Secret Service—a touching moment that included an agent embracing Daniel while his proud father looked on.
Even though Democrats may not have cheered him and some media figures offered “repulsive” remarks about his brief moment of fame, Daniel still had a wonderful visit to the White House, according to a new photo released by the first lady’s staff. In the image, Melania Trump embraces Daniel, cradling his head, while the 13-year-old, dressed in his police uniform and wearing a faint smile, wraps his arms around her midsection.
The photo instantly lit up social media, with most users posting positive reactions to the heartwarming moment. “Absolutely loving this,” a fan of Melania’s wrote on X while another replied, “She is so wonderful and I’m sure DJ is in his glory to be there with her.” The popular conservative account Publius said in response to the picture: “God bless DJ Daniel!”
Daniel was filled with joy during his visit to the Oval Office, where he gave President Trump a “big hug” and shared his dream of becoming a police officer once he recovers from brain cancer. “That’s very nice… Look at that family you got, huh? Very nice. How are you?” Trump said. “That was a big evening last night, right?”
Democrats may have stayed seated during Trump’s speech on Tuesday night, but it appeared to unite members of the GOP—perhaps none more than Meghan McCain. The daughter of the late Sen. John McCain and former co-host of ABC’s The View reacted to the speech Wednesday morning, calling it “beautiful” and admitting she was moved to tears as Trump honored the life of a young guest he had invited to attend.
McCain was especially moved by Trump’s recognition of DJ. The moment struck a deep personal chord for McCain, as her father, Sen. John McCain, passed away from a similar cancer in 2018. “This is the first time I can remember crying during a state of the union. Thank you President Trump. This is so beautiful,” McCain wrote on X. “Anyone who has been impacted by brain cancer knows how special this is.”
By late Wednesday, McCain’s post had amassed over 1.4 million views, with scores of readers expressing gratitude for her willingness to set aside differences with Trump and join in celebrating young DJ. “I’m so glad you are coming around @MeghanMcCain! Politics are a dirty business, but at his core, President Trump is a good man and loves America. I hope Americans can heal and come together,” a pro-Trump follow wrote back. “It [was] Undeniably beautiful. Your Dad would be Proud of you,” a second wrote, adding an American flag emoji.