Melania Trump slammed critics who accused her of lacking empathy by posting photographs of work on a new White House tennis pavilion, urging them to make a more “positive” contribution to life.

Her social media post on Thursday provoked a withering array of mockery from social media users who ridiculed her for wearing a hard hat and accusing her of a Marie Antoinette moment, focusing on tennis at a time when the nation is battling the coronavirus outbreak.

“Let them lob serves,” ran one critique, echoing the reputed “let them eat cake” advice of the 18th-century French queen to the starving masses.

On Saturday, the first lady’s office hit back.

“I encourage everyone who chooses to be negative & question my work at the @WhiteHouse to take time and contribute something good & productive in their own communities. #BeBest,” said the message posted on her account.

I encourage everyone who chooses to be negative & question my work at the @WhiteHouse to take time and contribute something good & productive in their own communities. #BeBest https://t.co/03sx0rq2Nx

— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 7, 2020

It referenced her “Be Best” public awareness campaign against cyberbullying (lol) and promoting well-being for young people.

The first lady has taken the lead in building the tennis pavilion, which she says she hopes will become a place for first families to spend time together in the future. Although I think the chances of seeing Donald Trump’s fat ass run around a tennis court is pretty low.

It is being built on the South Lawn of the White House, near the Children’s Garden.

On Thursday, she shared photographs of herself looking over architectural plans donning a hard hat. “I am excited to share the progress of the Tennis Pavillion at @WhiteHouse. Thank you to the talented team for their hard work and dedication,” she wrote on Twitter.

The first lady has frequently found herself a lightning rod for critics of the administration, and her tweet prompted complaints that she should be focused on more important matters and was out of touch with ordinary people in the United States.

Let them lob serves https://t.co/mGWU8SLUWO

— Fiddler (@cFidd) March 5, 2020

The actor Mia Farrow tweeted: “29 people were killed by a tornado in Tennessee, the world is shuddering as a pandemic expands and what is a tennis pavilion?”

And Connie Schultz, wife of Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, wrote: “Millions of Americans seek assurance that this administration is doing all that it can to stem spread of the coronavirus, but the First Lady wants us to know she’s ‘excited’ about her new tennis court.

“People are scared, @FLOTUS. Flaunting a lack of empathy inflicts further harm.”

Response her to newest tweet wasn’t much better:

We are. We’re exposing your corrupt husband, family, party and administration and kicking you out in November. I didn’t realize we were being obtuse on that point.

— Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) March 7, 2020

I hope that @FLOTUS takes her #BeBest campaign to the White House and endorses @JoeBiden to be the next President of the United States. Only Joe can bring the decency and civility that I believe #BeBest is about. https://t.co/c8GVsmtO34

— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) March 7, 2020

I encourage everyone who knows that Melania trump is a racist birther who plagiarized Michelle Obama to criticize the living shit out of this #BeBest phony until she disappears. https://t.co/usoQ7Ivkru

— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) March 7, 2020

This might be a good time to remind everyone that we are the only country on the planet where the citizens have seen the first lady’s hooters and hu-hah and heard a detailed description of the president’s junk on tv from a book written by a porn star he was screwing on the side.

— AreYouKiddingMe? (@nbaron587) March 7, 2020

Maybe you should join @JoeBiden’s campaign. It’s all about positivity and being a good person. #Biden2020

— Liddle’ Savage (@littledeekay) March 7, 2020

Do tell how these tennis courts are contributing to anything no less for good? This project is as clueless and shallow as you. You can’t be best when you’ve no idea what it even means. FECKLESS!!

— M. Resists (@AngryFedupVtr) March 7, 2020

Wow. You are so tone deaf it’s scary. People are dying because of your husband’s incompetence, the markets are melting down and you choose to tweet about a tennis pavilion. #BeBest Marie!!

— ❄️B L A Z E R❄️ NOH8❄️❄️ (@Ellasperson) March 7, 2020