Melania Trump has turned down several requests to join her husband, former president Donald Trump, at campaign events amid the ongoing criminal cases against him in New York and Florida.
According to The New York Times, Melania has chosen to focus her efforts on helping her 17-year-old son, Barron Trump, with his college search and applications, rather than engaging in the typical post-White House activities of previous first ladies. She prefers to keep her social circle small, spending time with her parents, her son, and a few close friends, while also attending hairdresser appointments and seeking advice from her longtime stylist, Herve Pierre.
Although she occasionally meets her husband for dinner on Fridays at his properties, she has shown no interest in accompanying him on his quest to reclaim the White House in the upcoming presidential election. Additionally, she hasn’t been by his side during his arraignments in the two ongoing cases against him.
It wasn’t until two months ago that she endorsed his third presidential campaign, stating her “full support” in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Her absence from the campaign trail contrasts starkly with the first two times he ran for president, notably when she accompanied him during his 2015 campaign announcement at Trump Tower.
However, it’s important to note that her lack of involvement does not imply disapproval of her husband. Melania reportedly has reservations about the defamation and sex abuse case brought against him by writer E Jean Carrol, who won a $5 million jury verdict this year. Melania expressed frustration with Mr. Trump’s lawyers during a deposition and questioned Ms. Carroll’s recollection of the alleged assault.
While she hasn’t ruled out participating in her husband’s campaign, former associates suggest that if she does, it won’t be in the traditional way. Stephanie Grisham, Melania’s former chief of staff, stated that her involvement would be different from that of Casey DeSantis and that she won’t be “throwing on jeans and walking in parades.”