Melania Trump skipped the Trump-Biden debate
James Devaney/GC Images
- Melania Trump has largely remained out of the public eye since Donald Trump left office.
- She was absent for the entirety of Trump's hush-money trial and will not be at the debate.
- Melania Trump will be reportedly be making select appearances during her husband's campaign trial.
Former first lady Melania Trump didn't attend the first 2024 presidential debate, according to multiple reports.
CNN reports Melania did not make the trip to Atlanta. Sources also told ABC News that she won't be attending the debate. In contrast, first lady Jill Biden is in attendance.
Melania has mostly stayed away from the 2024 campaign trial beyond holding a couple of fundraisers at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. While most of Trump's children showed up for his criminal trial, the former first lady did not show up to Manhattan to hear prosecutors question him about falsifying business records to cover up hush money to a pornstar.
Melania has never been a big fan of politics. She stayed in New York early in Trump's presidency before moving into the White House. Her relationship with Trump has long been a subject of fascination.
Axios recently reported that she might not live in Washington full-time if Trump wins the White House this November.
A spokesperson for Trump's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The former first lady's absence from the public eye since Trump left office in 2021 hasn't gone unnoticed.
In September, a banner reading "Where's Melania?" was flown over a stadium in Ames, Iowa.
Former President Trump has provided various explanations for his wife's absence.
After Melania was noticeably missing from the Trump family Christmas card, the former president said that she was dealing with a family matter.
He's also defended his wife's decision to avoid public appearances, once telling Megyn Kelly that "she doesn't need to be interviewed by you to get ripped apart for no reason."
"She doesn't need to be out there," he said. "She's got confidence, she has a lot of self-confidence."
The former first lady made her first appearance on her husband's campaign trail at a fundraiser April, Politico reported. She's set to host a second fundraiser in July, according to the outlet.