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America is seven months into Donald Trump’s second administration, and according to CNN, she’s only made 19 public appearances.
Some voters may think this is typical for the First Lady of the United States, but she had attended 40 events by this time in his first administration. In additions to her disappearing act, her White House staff is “a fraction of her first-term team and that of her predecessors,” per the media outlet.
Details at the White House that would normally fall under the first lady’s scope of work, including the Rose Garden’s patio and the announced $200 million ballroom project, seem to be on Donald Trump’s to-do list instead. (In fact, the renovation of the ballroom displaces Melania and her small staff until the construction is completed.)
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“I don’t think it’s anything interpersonal,” a source noted. “It’s just – she’s not interested.”
This sentiment about Melania has echoed for years. Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies, spoke with SheKnows in August 2023 and shared that she reshaped the very traditional role — whether voters like it or not.
“I always felt that she didn’t want to be the first lady, and she was unapologetic about it,” Brower explained. “She wasn’t interested in doing what we expected of her.” Melania essentially “lowered the bar” for the first lady duties, which is an unpaid position.
It’s unlikely that the public will see more of Melania, who prefers to spend her time at Trump Tower in New York City — son Barron still lives at home while attending New York University. If she’s not in Manhattan, her friends are more likely to find her at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida versus Washington, D.C. CNN also noted that a “key role,” the White House social secretary position, still remains unfilled in Melania’s office — so don’t expect to see a busy calendar.
Melania is keeping her profile even lower, likely because she allegedly didn’t enjoy her time in Washington, D.C. the first time around. “When you look back, Melania was betrayed by her staff,” an insider told The Times in April 2024.
“She tried but was attacked — everything, her shoes, her hair,” the source noted. “The microscope is so intense. The sunglasses she wears all the time are her shield.”
So it’s likely Melania will continue with a light set of obligations as the First Lady of the United States because politics is her husband’s job, not hers.
Before you go, click here to see quotes that prove Melania Trump is a lot like her husband.
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