Interest in Melania Trump is rising with the return of U.S. President Donald Trump. During Trump's first term, Melania was referred to as the 'reclusive first lady,' but there are observations that she may become more actively involved this time, increasing attention on her movements since the president's inauguration when she often kept a low profile during major events.
Melania Trump made her first public appearance at an event since returning to Washington after a month away on the evening of 22nd (local time) at the National Governors Association dinner held in the East Room of the White House. President Trump mentioned at the event that "my wife put in a lot of effort to prepare for this event," but Melania did not make any special remarks.
Melania also did not attend major diplomatic events that her husband faced for the first time since taking office. When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Jordan's King Abdullah II, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the White House, the first lady was also absent from the official events. Additionally, she did not attend women's sports events, the welcome ceremony for Marc Fogel's return, or the signing ceremony for the "RAY Act."
The first lady traditionally plays an important role in the White House. She participates in welcoming events during visits from heads of state, and is often seen at major policy announcements and legislative signing ceremonies by the president. However, since President Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, Melania has kept a low profile at almost all events and has primarily been spending time in New York and Florida. According to a CNN report, Melania did not return to Washington after visiting North Carolina and California, which suffered from natural disasters on Jan. 24.
Some analysts suggest that Melania's time spent in New York, where her son Barron Trump is in college, and Florida, where their vacation home is located, is prioritized by family. In a past interview, she stated, "My first priority is my role as a mother," adding, "I will travel between New York and Palm Beach as needed." The White House spokesperson did not provide specific comments on her activities.
Melania's current actions are similar to those during Trump's first term. With behavior that seems largely indifferent to the public and a reluctance to appear at official events, Melania has frequently become the subject of speculation.
However, there are also points raised about the difficulty of defining Melania's role at this stage. Previously, on Jan. 27, she released an official portrait taken at the White House, and this led to interpretations in political circles that this was signaling an active external role. In the photograph, Melania was seen looking straight ahead with both hands on the desk, dressed in a white shirt and a dark business suit. British Broadcasting Corporation cited experts who analyzed that Melania seems to intend to demonstrate her power more prominently. Gwenyth DuBois, a professor of art history at the University of Pennsylvania, stated, "Melania appears ready to exercise more power than she did when she first stayed at the White House."
Experts analyzed that Melania's activities are moving in a different direction from the traditional role of the first lady. Instead of actively fulfilling the role of first lady, it appears to be shifting toward exercising influence while maintaining a certain distance from her husband. It is likely that Melania Trump will continue to keep a low profile at official White House events. However, whether her quiet activities will completely redefine the role of first lady or simply result in a temporary change remains to be seen.