Melania Trump seen for the first time since mysteriously skipping husband’s first presidential debate
Melania Trump made her first public appearance since skipping the first presidential debate on Monday, walking into Trump Tower in New York City.
The former first lady wore green skinny pants, a black jacket and black flats. She wore sunglasses and carried a large black Louis Vuitton bag.
Employees loaded stacks of Louis Vuitton suitcases onto carts to take them to Trump’s home in New York.
She was noticeably absent — without explanation — from last week’s debate, where Joe Biden struggled with answers. Jill Biden was there, joining her husband onstage for the debate’s conclusion.
Donald Trump left the debate stage alone.
Melania Trump was seen in public for the first time since skipping the debate
It is unclear where Melania Trump spent her summer. The Trump family usually heads to Bedminister, New Jersey, where they have homes on Donald Trump’s private golf club.
But the former president prepared for the debate from Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach home.
Melania’s absence from the debate was a notable break with tradition.
She attended all the debates in the 2016 and 2020 election campaigns.
“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 in Washington DC full-time 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.
Public sightings of Melania are rare, especially when it comes to Donald Trump’s bid for a second term in the White House.
Melania Trump was spotted walking into Trump Tower in New York
She carried a black Louis Vuitton bag
Seven months into 2024, she has yet to appear at a campaign rally for her husband. She failed to show up at a June 14 birthday party for Donald Trump, thrown by his fan club.
Melania Trump has rarely publicly expressed her support for her husband, who is aspiring for a second term in the White House.
She joined Trump when he announced his 2024 presidential bid last November, but otherwise appeared at only one fundraiser for his campaign and voted alongside 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 turned 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, which will take place at Trump Tower in New York, is the second fundraiser she has hosted for the group, the first being at Mar-a-Lago in April.
For the July event, participants will be charged $100,000 per person.
She was last seen in public last week in New York City, leaving Trump Tower, beating the heat in a summer skirt and white shirt. The couple was last seen together in public in May, at Barron’s high school graduation.