Melania Trump missing? US First Lady's absence from White House triggers speculation

Time of India

08-05-2025

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US First Lady Melania Trump , wife of US President Donald Trump, always keeps a low-key profile and has always been a bit of mystery. When she first took the role of First Lady in 2017, she was less visible and more private. And now in 2025, with Trump's historic return to the White House after defeating Kamala Harris, Melania Trump has remained largely out of sight.It's been more than three months into Trump's high-profile inauguration and Melania Trump has been in the White House for fewer than 14 days at since President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January, reported The New York Times citing two sources familiar with her schedule.The report revealed that Melania does not live in Washington and "vanishes from view for weeks at a time, holing up in Trump Tower in Manhattan or in Florida." Having largely remained out of the public eye during Trump's presidential campaign, the First Lady has made only a limited number of appearances since he returned to the White House. These include delivering a speech at the International Women of Courage Awards, attending Pope Francis' funeral, and urging lawmakers to pass the Take It Down Act.Even though White House officials have maintained she is present in the capital more than it is publicly known, they refused to specify how often or for how long. Katherine Jellison, a historian of first ladies, was quoted by The New York Times as saying, 'We haven't seen such a low-profile first lady since Bess Truman… she just kind of liked her own private world.'Though she has hired staff in the East Wing, Trump rarely appears in public or even in her official office. Even frequent visitors to Mar-a-Lago reportedly say they don't often see the First Lady on the property."As the weeks pass by at the White House, the corner of the residence long used by first ladies remains dark, because this first lady does not really live in Washington," notes Shawn McCreesh, the author of the report, who is the Times' White House correspondent."Administration officials say she is at the White House more often than the public knows, but when exactly, and for how long, these officials will not (or perhaps cannot) say for certain," McCreesh wrote. "It's like having Greta Garbo as first lady."The report further said Melania's whereabouts "is among the most sensitive of subjects in this White House" and "only adds to the intrigue."Melania Trump has made only a few public appearances since January, including a speech at the State Department's International Women of Courage awards and her participation in the White House Easter Egg Roll. In her rare public remarks, Trump emphasised her family role over public office. Speaking to Fox News ahead of the inauguration, she said, 'My first priority is… to be a mom, to be a first lady, to be a wife. And once we are in on Jan 20, you serve the country.'Although she has kept a low public profile, Melania Trump is reportedly serving as executive producer on a $40 million Amazon documentary that promises a behind-the-scenes look at her life — a figure The New York Times says far exceeds typical deals for similar projects.Film crews have been seen following her, though specific details about the production remain tightly guarded. She is expected to make a rare public appearance Thursday to unveil a postage stamp honoring former First Lady Barbara Bush.However, she is not scheduled to join President Trump on his upcoming tour of the Middle East, which includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. 'She loves the White House, and she loves the role of serving as our first lady,' said Paolo Zampolli, a former modeling agent who introduced the Trumps, in a quote to The New York Times.