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Former President Donald Trump released a big statement ahead of the weekend regarding his wife and gracious former First Lady Melania Trump, as questions swirled regarding why she’s not been seen campaigning for him as he appears set to lock up the 2024 nomination.
The statement came as Trump easily bested his sole remaining significant GOP rival, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, in her home state in Saturday’s primary.
Trump told a Fox News town hall earlier in the week that Melania is about to surrender her treasured privacy to hit the campaign trail for him.
“It’s funny, she was a very successful model, very, very successful, and yet she was a private person. She’s going to be out a lot. Not because she likes doing it, but she likes the results,” he said, according to the network.
“She wants to see this country really succeed. She loves the country,” he added.
“You know, a lot of first ladies would go out — they want to be everywhere. They get angry at their husband because he’s not introducing them,” Trump continued. “If I didn’t introduce Melania, she’d be very happy about it. She’s just a different kind of a person.”
Melania was missing from the family Christmas card photo this year for a heartbreaking reason, according to reports in December.
The former first family shared a photo from their festivities, featuring former President Donald Trump alongside his children Don Jr., Ivanka, and Tiffany, with their respective spouses. Barron Trump was also seen standing tall above the rest, along with several of the former president’s grandchildren. Melania’s absence was noticeable, leading to speculation about her whereabouts on social media.
According to sources who spoke to Page Six, Melania has been caring for her sick mother, Amalija Knavs, who was in the hospital with her daughter at her side when the family photo was taken.
“Melania has always been very devoted to her entire family,” a source close to Melania explained to Fox News Digital. “It should be no surprise that she spent this Christmas with her ailing mother.”
At a New Year’s Eve celebration at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Florida, Donald Trump confirmed that his wife was attending to her mother.
“Hopefully, she will be recovering because she was very ill,” Trump said during a speech at the event, a video of which was posted on X. However, Knavs passed away in January.
Melania delivered a heartwarming eulogy at her mother’s funeral, saying at one point: “Her nurturing spirit had no limits, creating a legacy that will last for generations. With her beauty and impeccable sense of style, she turned heads. But it was her unwavering dedication and hard work that made her exceptional.”
Knavs was 78 when she passed. She and her husband, Viktor Knavs, 79, Melania’s father, have been residing at Mar-a-Lago for the past few years.
Melania highlighted her mother’s beauty and sense of style but said that it was her “unwavering dedication and hard work that truly made her exceptional.” She shared insights into her mother’s resilience: “Like a string that holds everything together, she balanced the demands of motherhood with grace and poise.”
Speaking about her mother’s professional life, Melania noted, “She worked tirelessly, pushing herself beyond her limits, fueled by the fire within. She is a true inspiration, a role model to me, and so many.” She also spoke of her mother’s passion for cooking, “transporting every dish, which she curated with her spices from her garden, to new heights.”
Melania reminisced about her introduction to the world of fashion through her mother’s stories: “She effortlessly introduced me to the charming world of fashion with tales of her glamorous travels to Paris and neighboring European capitals.”
She described these experiences as transformative, inspiring her journey into the fashion industry.
