Melania Trump set a clear "no politics" rule for the Governors' Ball, her first White House social event, but her husband used his speech to talk shop anyway.

President Donald Trump took the chance to tell the gathering of 46 state governors his administration had achieved "almost everything we've started out to accomplish—the borders are stricter, tighter".

Beforehand, he had tweeted: "Much to be discussed, including healthcare."

It meant the First Lady's plan for a strictly social evening was scuppered.

First Lady Melania Trump listens to a toast by her husband during the Governors' Dinner (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In a statement, she had said: "Tonight, we come together as one nation, leaving political labels and partisan interests behind."

Mr Trump added: "Tomorrow we're going to meet and we’re going discuss things like perhaps healthcare will come up, perhaps and I think we've made a lot of progress on that and we’re going to have a speech Tuesday night and we’re going to be speaking very specifically about a very complicated subject.

"We’re going to have it fixed, and we’re going to repeal and replace, and I think you’re going to see something very special."

The Governors' Ball is an annual event when the governors of all 50 states are invited to the White House for a black-tie soiree.