Melania Trump made her first appearance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday, July 18, as the GOP rallied behind her husband, Donald Trump.
Her convention debut comes after the former first lady’s notable absence during the first three of days at the RNC — even as Trump’s running mate, Ohio senator J.D. Vance, was spotted with his wife, Usha, on the convention floor.
The first lady only joined the Trumps in the auditorium for the lead-up to Donald’s speech at the end of the program, but off-stage a short time earlier, she was photographed standing behind her husband while he signed his official nomination paperwork.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
As is customary for the spouses of presidential candidates, Melania, now 54, gave speeches at the RNC in 2016 and 2020 — though in a break of tradition, she was not on the slate of speakers for this year’s gathering.
The former first lady has been absent for much of her husband’s third presidential campaign, which he launched in November 2022. When Melania was asked whether she would make more campaign trail appearances after appearing at the polls to vote in Florida’s Republican primary, she simply responded, “Stay tuned.”
Leon Neal/Getty
For months, sources have told PEOPLE that Melania has attempted to remove herself from her husband’s political appearances, particularly amid his Manhattan criminal trial, which centered around his concealment of a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
“It is not comfortable for her,” one source told PEOPLE last year.
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Following the assassination attempt on the former president, however, Melania released one of her most prominent public statements since her husband left office in 2021, calling for a world where “respect is paramount, family is first, and love transcends.”
“We are all humans, and fundamentally, instinctively, we want to help one another,” wrote Melania. “American politics are only one vehicle that can uplift our communities. Love, compassion, kindness and empathy are necessities.”
