Jill Biden leads Joe off the stage after dismal debate… while Melania breaks decades of precedent by NOT appearing with Trump

Jill Biden ushered Joe Biden off the stage after his debate debacle Thursday night, while Melania Trump broke decades of tradition by not showing up.

Donald Trump had to leave solo after resoundingly defeating Joe Biden in the debate.

The president, who sounded hoarse and stumbled as he searched for words, found solace in his wife afterward.

Jill Biden walked on stage to hug and kiss her husband after the event ended.

But in another awkward moment for the president, he was seen struggling to get down the stairs to speak moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper.

It was an unfortunate final photo to end an evening that led to a Democratic meltdown as the president had to be replaced on the ballot.

Biden froze in the first twelve minutes of the debate, sending Democrats into a panic about the state of their candidate.

While Jill Biden stood by her husband’s side, Melania Trump was nowhere to be seen.

Trump’s campaign remained silent when asked whether the former first lady would attend the first presidential showdown.

Officials said this would be revealed during the debate.

As many predicted, she never appeared.

The former president arrived in Atlanta solo on Trump Force One — and left the same way.

It was a remarkable break with tradition.

Melania Trump attended every debate in the 2016 and 2020 election cycles.

“In 1976, families began attending the debates regularly, and it would be quite shocking for a candidate’s wife to break with that tradition,” said presidential historian Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky.

Her absence follows reports that she may not live permanently in Washington DC if her husband wins a second term in the White House.

People close to the former first lady believe she will likely split her time between Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City — especially since Barron, 18, is expected to attend New York University .

Melania would instead only travel to Washington DC for ceremonial obligations, such as state dinners and other special events.

Her office did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com about the report.

“They put a curtain of privacy around her,” said MaryAnne Borrell, a bipartisan professor of government at Connecticut College.

It’s rare for Melania to be seen in public, especially when it comes to Donald Trump’s bid to win a second term in the White House.

Six months into 2024, she has not yet appeared at a campaign rally for her husband. She also did not appear at a birthday party for Donald Trump on June 14, organized by his fan club.

Melania Trump has rarely publicly expressed her support for her husband, who is seeking a second term in the White House.

She joined Trump when he announced his candidacy for president in 2024 last November, but otherwise appeared at only one fundraiser for his campaign and voted with her husband in the Florida primary.

“Stay tuned,” she told reporters when asked if she would campaign for Trump.

But it is unclear what she meant by that.

Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former friend of Melania Trump’s who is now a critic, said the former first lady “has not been by her husband’s side at all” as he seeks to return to the White House.

“I think a few years ago she would have been there more,” Winston Wolkoff said on the MeidasTouch Podcast.

Melania Trump will make a rare political appearance on July 8 when she hosts a fundraiser for Log Cabin Republicans, the largest conservative LGBTQ+ organization.

The event will take place at Trump Tower in New York and is the second fundraiser she has organized for the group. The first was at Mar-a-Lago in April.

For the July event, participants will be charged $100,000 per person.

She was last seen in public in New York City last week, leaving Trump Tower, beating the heat in a summer skirt and white shirt.

The couple was last seen together in public in May, when Barron graduated from high school.