vanishing act

Here’s why you shouldn’t expect to see Melania on the campaign trail any time soon

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Melania Trump
Melania Trump (Photo: Shutterstock)

Melania Trump has been nowhere in sight on the 2024 campaign trail with her husband, Donald Trump. Now, sources have spilled to The Hill as to the reasons behind this. 

“It’s just not her comfort space,” said one source, adding, I think it’s a real loss because first ladies are typically helpful on the campaign trail with women, with undecideds, and she has a very compelling story and she’s good at telling it.”

They felt Melania’s absence did not help her husband’s campaign. 

“If she’s not on the campaign trail now that her husband is in the middle of a criminal trial, I don’t think she’s going to do it at all … [she] doesn’t want to be in a position where she’s asked about it.”

A second source confided, “The campaign doesn’t ask her to be out there because they know she dislikes it … She’s a very private person.” 

Sources say Melania prefers to focus on her family. This means her son Barron, who is due to graduate next month, or hanging out with her sister, Ines. They report Melania is also fond of spending time at the Mar-a-Lago spa.

“She’s not on Worth Avenue [an upmarket Palm Beach stretch of stores] hanging out with her girlfriends. She’s introverted and family-focused and is not really motivated by the things that motivate most political spouses.” 

No family show of support at trial

That Melania is “not really motivated” comes as little surprise to anyone who remembers her infamous “I really don’t care – do you?” coat. However, Melania’s complete absence from any campaign events (except a Log Cabin Republican fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month), has raised eyebrows.

Many assume she will begin to show some public support for her husband at some point. However, according to these sources, no one should hold their breath for that to happen. 

Yesterday, we reported on how Melania has yet to attend any of Donald Trump’s court appearances. Trump is currently appearing most days in a Manhattan court as part of his hush money trial. He denies any sexual encounter with the former adult entertainer Stormy Daniels, who received the money in question.

Some observers feel the Melania’s decision to stay away could harm her husband’s assertion that he’s a family man. 

However, despite her absence, those formerly close to Melania say she won’t be ignoring the trial. 

Speaking to CNN’s Erin Burnett this week, Melania’s former chief of staff Stephanie Grisham said her old boss is “watching every ounce” of her husband’s trial.

“I can guarantee she is watching every ounce of coverage,” she said, adding, “Melania is very much about proof, show proof. And so if some more damaging stuff should come out that she didn’t know about because, of course, her husband continues to deny all of the details here, about Stormy especially.”

Mother’s Day gift

Despite the multitude of legal woes he’s facing, Donald Trump is still neck-to-neck with Joe Biden in opinion polls for this November’s presidential election. The Hill notes that Dr. Jill Biden has made over two dozen campaign appearances for her husband and done several TV interviews. 

Kate Andersen Brower, the author of First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies, argued that Melania’s absence is perhaps something that Trump’s slavish MAGA following is not too bothered about. They don’t care to see a “humanized” side to Trump. 

“They don’t want to see the softer side of Donald Trump.”

Brower said Melania, “is the most private lady in American history. And his supporters are fine with her being in the shadows.”

When not busy at the Mar-a-Lago spa, Melania found time recently to start flogging a $245 Mother’s Day gift. It’s a piece of jewelry you can have engraved with the names of loved ones. She yesterday shared a photo of one piece with the initials DJT, MKT, and BWT, which we presume stands for Donald J Trump and Barron William Trump. Melania’s maiden name was Knavs (Knauss), hence MKT (unless there’s someone else in her life with those initials). 

In a caption, she spoke about the importance of being “mindful of ourselves” and “prioritizing self-care”, which perhaps accounts for all that spa time.

As far as anyone can tell, proceeds from the sale of the necklaces all go to Melania. 

Related:

Is Melania quietly poisoning her husband’s defense in his hush money trial?

“Where’s Melania?” That’s become the catch phrase in Trump’s hush money trial currently underway in New York City.

Melania appears to have come to the startling realization that she, too, is being screwed over by her husband

That’s always been the thing about Donald Trump. He screws over everyone in the end. Why should his third wife be any different?

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