Melania tiptoes into spotlight: Enigmatic former first lady ‘easing into Trump campaign’ after her absence fueled rumors their marriage was on the rocks
Melania Trump is said to be ‘easing into the Trump campaign’ after her absence sparked rumors that their marriage was on the rocks.
Aloof and enigmatic, the Slovenian-born former model has been noticeably absent as husband Donald Trump makes his third bid for the White House.
She has also not attended any court hearings with her husband as he navigates a myriad of cases. His first criminal trial begins on Monday, and her plans remain unclear.
The lawsuit centers on allegations that Trump falsified business records to cover up an alleged sexual encounter he had with porn star Stormy Daniels.
The 53-year-old was left ‘humiliated’ by Trump’s alleged affair with Daniels, according to one of her former aides.
Aloof and enigmatic, the Slovenian-born former model has been noticeably absent as husband Donald Trump makes his third bid for the White House
Her absence is unusual in the US, where the norm is for politicians’ spouses to show solidarity in times of crisis, which has led to rumors about the couple’s relationship.
Trump, left, arrives with Melania Trump at a GOP fundraiser Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Palm Beach
In early April, Melania Trump accompanied her husband to a major fundraising event where Republicans raised more than $50 million for his presidential campaign.
And on April 20, she will participate in a fundraiser for a group of LGBTQ conservatives, the so-called Log Cabin Republicans.
It’s hard to say whether the former first lady is starting to make minimal appearances to quell speculation about the couple or out of a desire to help her spouse win back the White House in November.
For Katherine Jellison, a history professor at Ohio University and a specialist in presidential couples, the fundraiser appearance illustrates a marked shift by Melania Trump.
“These are only a few appearances, but they seem to be signs that she is returning to public life – and into the Trump campaign,” Jellison told AFP.
Melania Trump herself had hinted at such a comeback in a very brief exchange with reporters in mid-March.
“Stay tuned,” she said with a smile, wearing large dark glasses.
According to Jellison, the former first lady might prefer events like the ones she’s attending in April.
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, right, waves to the crowd during the Human Rights Campaign’s ‘Equality in Action’ event on Friday, April 12, 2024
Trump takes the stage with Melania after announcing he will run again for US president in 2024
In November, Melania Trump appeared at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral, along with other first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton
“She seems most comfortable doing these events rather than the more typical campaign activities of a political spouse — shaking hands and talking to a bunch of voters,” Jellison said.
That style, she believes, is better suited to Jill Biden, whose husband, President Joe Biden, is Donald Trump’s Democratic rival in the November election.
Jill Biden regularly criss-crosses the country, unafraid to venture into hotly contested states. And at the beginning of March, she launched an initiative to mobilize women voters.
Melania Trump, on the other hand, has not had it easy with her previous major public appearances.
Her speech at the 2016 Republican Nominating Convention was ridiculed, and not without merit: Entire passages were lifted from a speech by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
She also faced criticism on trips made as first lady, particularly when she visited newly arrived migrant children at a shelter near the Mexican border.
Former President Donald Trump, right, stands with Melania Trump, second from right, as they are greeted by John Paulson, left, and Alina de Almeida, second from left, at a GOP fundraiser
Melania Trump held an event for Republicans in a log cabin at Mar-a-Lago in November 2021
She wore a jacket with the message ‘I really don’t care. Do you?’ written on the back. Since then, she has been sparing and cautious in her public appearances.
She broke her silence in a rare interview in 2018. When asked about her husband’s alleged infidelity with porn star Stormy Daniels, she assured the questioner that she had ‘much more important things on her mind’.
It was the hush money payments that Donald Trump approved to the adult film actress, shortly before the 2016 election, that led to his first criminal case.
Jury selection starts on Monday in New York. With Melania or not, the former president is expected to attend.
Trump faces 34 counts and, if convicted, could face up to four years in prison for each of the 34 charges against him.
However, the 77-year-old is more likely to face probation due to being a first-time offender in the state.
Melania kisses Trump after delivering a speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016
Donald and Melania Trump arrive at the official launch of the Trump 2020 campaign at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida on June 18, 2019
Daniels in 2018 told 60 Minutes she met Trump at an event in Nevada in 2006 and he invited her to dinner.
She said she met him in his hotel suite where they had sex. Daniels said Trump later invited her to other events in New York and California.
Prosecutors allege that Trump’s fixer Michael Cohen awarded Daniels’ lawyer $130,000 to keep her quiet about their meetings.
Trump denies having an affair with Daniels. At a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, he said: ”It’s a scam. It’s not a lawsuit. It’s a scam’.’
He said he would testify, even as the judge declined to postpone the trial because of the huge amount of publicity surrounding the case.