Topline Former First Lady Melania Trump’s disappearing act—which began shortly after departing the White House in 2021—continued this week when she was noticeably absent when her husband flew to Georgia to surrender to authorities after a fourth indictment, keeping her public appearances and statements to just more than a handful in over two years.
Melania has kept public appearances limited after departing the White House in 2021. (Photo by Drew … [+] Angerer/Getty Images)
Getty Images Timeline January 18, 2021One of Melania’s final acts as first lady included a farewell address in which she thanked supporters, reflected on her Be Best youth public-awareness campaign and told Americans to “remember that violence is never the answer,” a vague request that came just a few weeks after supporters of her husband violently stormed the U.S. capitol.
November 6, 2021Melania attends a Republican Gala at Mar-A-Lago and is recognized as a guest of honor by the Log Cabin Republicans—a conservative LGBT advocacy group that Melania received $250,000 worth of speaking fees from in 2022, according to the New York Times.
December 17, 2021Melania makes a surprise visit at a U.S. Coast Guard station in Florida, later thanking members for their service in an Instagram post.
May 15, 2022Melania appears on Fox News for a segment where she accused the news media of being “biased” and said “never say never” when asked about a potential return as first lady.
July 21, 2022Melania provided a statement on the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack, saying she was unaware of what was happening at the Capitol that day and that she would have denounced the violence had she known about it.
December 10, 2022Melania visits California for two private events hosted by the Log Cabin Republicans and Fix California—a voter engagement organization that provided the ex-first lady with a $250,000 payment, according to the Times.
April 11, 2023One week after Donald Trump was indicted and charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records over a string of alleged hush money deals, Melania’s official office issued a cryptic statement that news organizations made assumptions about her “personal, professional and political” stance on unnamed subjects—a presumable reference to reports that she was angry with her husband’s indictment and political appearances.
Surprising Fact Maggie Haberman, a senior political correspondent for the Times, said late last year Trump blamed Melania and other advisors for pushing him to support celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz’s losing effort in Pennsylvania’s Senate race. The post from Haberman provoked a denial from Trump, who apologized to his wife for the “Fake News and fictional stories” reported by “the Fake News Media.”
Tangent Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest sons, have remained public defenders of their father, attacking the four indictments and supporting his presidential campaign efforts. Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, the two most prominent family members in his administration, have backed away from his campaign this time, with Ivanka Trump saying late last year she would be prioritizing her children and family over further time in the political arena. Following Trump’s first indictment, Ivanka said she was “pained” for her father and the country after.
Key Background Melania Trump was the second first lady born outside of the U.S. (she was born in Yugoslavia, a town now part of Slovenia) and is the only First Lady to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. The former first lady has kept herself close to her son, parents and a “handful of old friends,” according to the New York Times, which cited people close to the family that Melania’s sparse public support of her husband “should not be confused with disapproval or indifference.” Melania continued to stay out of the public eye this week, when her husband was booked and photographed at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta on Thursday over 13 felony counts linked to the Georgia election interference case.
Further Reading Melania Trump Issues Cryptic First Statement After Trump’s Indictment (Forbes)
Trump Returns To New Jersey After Arrest And Booking At Fulton County Jail (Forbes)