Former President Donald Trump confirmed that Melania's mother Amalija Knavs, 78, is “very ill” and that the situation is “difficult” for their family.
He told an adoring crowd at a New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago estate that Melania was absent because she is currently at her mother's side in a nearby hospital.
“Hopefully she will recover,” the former president said after saying he had just gotten off the phone with Melania, who is in a Miami hospital with her ailing mother.
“It's a tough one, a very tough one,” Trump continued, saying Melania is “sending her love” to all the people gathered.
“She knows about 95 percent of the people in this room,” he said, prompting cheers from partygoers, according to a video taken by an attendee and posted to X.
Former President Donald Trump confirmed that Melania's mother Amalija Knavs is 'very ill' and that the situation is 'difficult' for their family
First lady Melania Trump's parents Viktor and Amalija Knavs arrive at the White House in August 2019
Trump's confirmation that Melania's mother is in poor health comes as the former first lady was not included in family Christmas photos posted on social media.
Knavs is sick in the hospital, according to multiple reports — and the former first lady was at her mother's side instead of celebrating the holidays with her family at Mar-a-Lago.
Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.'s financier, posted a family photo to her Instagram Story the day after Christmas, showing several members of the Trump family.
What was immediately noticeable was Melania's absence from the image.
“Melania has always been very devoted to her entire family,” said a source close to the former first lady told Fox News Digital. “It should come as no surprise that she spent Christmas with her sick mother.”
Guilfoyle's photo posted to her Instagram Story on Tuesday evening showed much of the Trump crew standing in front of a Christmas tree at the ex-president's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
Melania's father, Viktor Knavs, 79, was present in the photo.
Melania Trump was absent from a family Christmas photo because she was caring for her ailing mother, who is reportedly in the hospital. Pictured: Melania and Donald Trump with Amalija Knavs, 78, on June 29, 2018
Don Jr.'s fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle posted to her Instagram Story a Trump family photo (above) with several members of the ex-president's family at Mar-a-Lago the day after Christmas, including Barron Trump. Far left in the photo: Melania's father Viktor Knavs
The photo also shows former President Donald Trump; his eldest son Don Jr. and finally Guilfoyle; the youngest Trump child Barron, 17; Tiffany Trump and husband Michael Boulos; and eldest daughter Ivanka with husband Jared Kushner and their three children, Arabella, 12, Joseph, 10, and Theodore, seven.
The tallest of the bunch is Barron, who is several inches taller than his father, who is 6 feet tall.
Reports this month indicate that Melania, 53, will increase her public appearances in support of her husband's re-election bid.
It comes after the former first lady, herself an immigrant, appeared at the National Archives on December 15 for remarks at a naturalization ceremony. She also joined the other first ladies at Rosalynn Carter's funeral last month — even though her husband was not present with the other presidents.
In addition to Melania, Eric Trump and wife Lara were also not present in the group photo in front of the Mar-a-Lago Christmas tree that was posted on Tuesday.
Guilfoyle also posted a few images to her Instagram grid with her fiancé Don Jr. and the ex-president for the festive decorations at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort and residence.
Melania Trump made a rare public speech before a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives in Washington, DC on December 15. Her public appearances are expected to increase as her husband runs for another term
Melania and Donald Trump arrive for Christmas Eve dinner with the former first lady's parents Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs in West Palm Beach, Florida on December 24, 2019
Throwback: Trump poses with Melania and Barron and his parents-in-law Amalija and Viktor Knavs at Christmas 2008
Although they didn't spend Christmas Day together, half-sisters Ivanka and Tiffany Trump joined the family celebration on December 25.
The two also showed their festive spirit in cheerful posts shared on their respective social media accounts.
Marla Maples, 60, who was married to Trump from 1993 to 1999, posted a photo of her and her daughter, Tiffany, 30, posing in front of a Christmas tree.
The mother-daughter duo looked in all black and wore their hair down as they beamed at the camera.
“Merry Christmas from our hearts to yours,” Marla wrote on the post. “Love, Marla and Tiffany.”
Meanwhile, Ivanka shared some festive snaps on social media, posting a Christmas photo, as well as some throwback photos.
Former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle also posted an image to her Instagram with fiancé Don Jr. on Tuesday, December 26. and former President Donald Trump with Mar-a-Lago Christmas decorations in the background
Ivanka Trump, 42, husband Jared Kushner, 42, and their three children – Arabella, 12, Joseph, 10, and Theodore, seven – were pictured with former President Trump on December 26
Sharing two photos to her Instagram Story, the second-eldest child of Donald's first wife Ivana and the president showed her smiling family celebrating the holidays.
In one photo Ivanka, husband Jared Kushner, both 43, and their three children – Arabella, 12; Joseph, 10; and Theodore, 7 – all posed with the former first daughter's maternal grandmother as they celebrated Christmas lunch.
Ivanka also uploaded a photo of her family later in the evening, standing in front of an extravagant Christmas tree with her father the day after Christmas.
The family dressed up for the celebration, with the mum-of-three simply adding a Merry Christmas gif to her Instagram Story.
Ivanka, who converted to Judaism because of husband Jared, posted on the first night of Hanukkah a call for people to “bring light to the world” amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.