Viktor Knavs, Melania Trump’s father, attended Donald Trump’s speech at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night, sandwiched between the former president’s two oldest sons, while the former first lady was absent.
Knavs, 79, did not speak but was in the room as Donald Trump ranted about the charges against him and the other legal investigations he is subject to.
He sat in a prominent front row seat, with Eric and Lara Trump on the left and Don Jr. on the right. and his fiancé Kimberly Guilfoyle. Further down the line were Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos.
The former president thanked his family for their support — name-checking daughter Ivanka and Barron, his son with Melania — but specifically left his wife of 18 years out of his comments.
Viktor Knaus – Melania Trump’s father – stands between Eric and Lara Trump and Don Jr. and his fiancé Kimberly Guilfoyle; Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos are seen on the right
It is unclear why Melania Trump did not attend her husband’s speech on Tuesday night. She would be hurt and angry about the allegations that he had an affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, but would be willing to support him.
Multiple questions to Trump spokesmen and assistance to those close to the couple went unanswered.
Ivanka Trump was also not present for her father’s comments. Neither does Barron, but the teen rarely appears in public.
The Knavs – Viktor and Amalija – are close to their daughter, son-in-law and their grandson.
They often travel with the Trumps, dividing their time between New York, Bedminister, and Palm Beach, where the rest of the Trumps go.
When Donald was president, the two bought a house in suburban Washington DC and helped care for their grandson Barron. They were regulars at White House events—such as the annual turkey pardon—traveled on Air Force One and attended campaign events.
The Knavs – Viktor and Amalija (pictured above at the White House in November 2019) are close with daughter Melania
The Knavs are exiting Marine One in August 2018, following the lead of then-President Donald Trump, Melania Trump and Barron Trump
Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs go where Donald Melania Trump goes – above they’re with them at Mar-a-Lago for Christmas 2019
Melania’s absence was a stark contrast to last week when, hours after the charges were announced, she stood by her husband’s side in a very public show of strength.
The pair dined with friends at their usual high-visibility table at Mar-a-Lago.
The former first lady wore a bright red dress, which made her easy to spot by his side.
She was present in November when Trump announced he was seeking a second term in the White House. She was never a fan of the campaign trail and wasn’t expected to be happy about dealing with voters.
Before the charges were announced last week, a source said PEOPLE that Melania, 52, is “living her own life” and “still feels happy” at Mar-a-Lago, but remains “angry and doesn’t want to hear” about the alleged $130,000 hush money to Daniels.
But despite the anger, she would support her husband, a person close to her told DailyMail.com.
‘Mrs. Trump is strong. She is focused on her family and stands by her husband, as always,” the source told DailyMail.com exclusively. “Over the past 7 years, the left has made multiple attempts to smear and attack her family and this is just the latest attempt to bring him down.”
In previous scandals, Melania Trump stood next to her husband.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, when an old “Access Hollywood” interview came to light in which Donald Trump spoke disparagingly about women, she supported and publicly defended him in an interview on CNN.
But the former first lady was furious when news of the Stormy Daniels affair broke five years ago. She was blinded by it when it broke.
So it was notable that when the payment to Daniels was revealed by the Wall Street Journal in January 2018, Melania Trump remained silent.
Donald Trump walked into the Mar-a-Lago ballroom surrounded by security, notably his wife Melania Trump not by his side
The last time Donald Trump was seen in public with his wife Melania was on March 30
Ivanka Trump was spotted stepping out of her black van at a Miami office building on Monday, but did not attend her father’s speech at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday
Daniels was paid just before the 2016 election to keep quiet about an affair she’d had with Donald Trump a decade earlier — when the Trumps were newly married and shortly after Melania gave birth to their son, the report said.
Then-President Trump promptly denied everything.
At the time, Melania Trump, then the first lady, canceled her plans to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos with Trump. She was scheduled to go.
Instead, she visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC with her mother, then flew to Mar-a-Lago, where she took time to pamper herself at the on-site spa.