OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Reports say that former first lady Melania Trump is preparing to rejoin the campaign trail in support of her husband, former President Donald Trump, for his presidential bid.
Melania is scheduled to host a fundraising event for the Log Cabin Republicans, a GOP LGBT group, at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on April 20, according to Politico.
The event follows months of anticipation regarding the former first lady’s return to the campaign trail since her husband announced his 2024 bid in November 2022. Last month, while accompanying Donald Trump to vote in the presidential primary in Florida, she told reporters to “stay tuned” when questioned about when she would begin campaigning for her husband, the Washington Examiner reported.
In recent months, Melania Trump has made several public appearances, including attending the funeral of former first lady Rosalynn Carter alongside all the other living former first ladies in November. She also participated in a ceremony at the National Archives commemorating Bill of Rights Day in December, the Examiner added.
She gave a spirited eulogy for her late mother during the funeral of Amalija Knavs in Palm Beach, Florida, in January.
“The former first lady has largely stayed out of the spotlight since leaving the White House in January 2021, but as her husband’s campaign gears up and Donald Trump continues to lead President Joe Biden in the polls, she may be seen on the campaign trail more often,” the Examiner noted.
Critics have fueled speculation about Melania’s withdrawal from public life, questioning the reasons behind her presumed absence. Concerns heightened when she was noticeably absent from a Trump family Christmas card, which prominently featured her husband, all his children, and her father.
Donald Trump disclosed the reason for his wife’s absence from his New Year’s Eve party, stating during a speech at his Mar-a-Lago residence that she had been with her “very ill” mother.
Last month, Melania stood next to her husband while the presumptive GOP presidential nominee fielded questions from reporters after casting his vote in the Florida Republican primary.
Video footage preceding that moment has now gone viral on the X platform. The clip shows the Trumps and their aides walking together ahead of the vote.
Rare sighting of former first lady Melania Trump as she and Donald go vote in the Florida GOP primary. Good to see her! pic.twitter.com/lAsEYDyMUW
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) March 20, 2024
Newsweek added:
Melania Trump has been, on the whole, less visible when compared to spouses of previous presidential candidates, and her approach to her husband’s campaign trail underscores the unconventional nature of Donald Trump’s bid for the presidency.
Unlike past first ladies who have actively campaigned on behalf of their partners, during the 2016 presidential race, Melania Trump chose moments that would maximize impact without exposing herself to the harsher elements of campaign scrutiny. She also didn’t hold a traditional activist role similar to her predecessors during Donald Trump’s four years in the White House.
Melania recently bedazzled a Mar-a-Lago crowd earlier this month while she and her husband hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, with one video clip, in particular, going viral.
According to clips posted online, Melania entered the venue dressed in a sleek white pantsuit, black shirt, and black heels while Orbán presented her with a bouquet of flowers.
Preceded by husband and former President Donald Trump, as Melania entered, the song “Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison can be heard in the background.
The Prime Minister of Hungary, @PM_ViktorOrban, gifts Melania Trump with a beautiful bouquet of flowers tonight at Mar-a-Lago 💐🥰 pic.twitter.com/bHBVyk4T9y
— FLOTUS Report (@MELANIAJTRUMP) March 9, 2024
The Trump campaign said that the two long-time allies discussed “a wide range of issues affecting Hungary and the United States, including the paramount importance of strong and secure borders to protect the sovereignty of each nation,” per Politico.
A report noted in December that Melania Trump will make many more public appearances on behalf of her husband as he campaigns for a third time for a second term in the White House.
A source told Page Six that after the former president won a case before the U.S. Supreme Court in December, in which justices rejected special counsel Jack Smith’s attempt to get a quick ruling on presidential immunity, “Trump and his family are so secure that he will become president again that insiders at Mar-a-Lago say he’s reached an agreement with [wife] Melania [Trump] to step up top-tier diplomatic appearances in 2024.”
