Melania Trump joined her husband, former President Donald Trump, as he signed the paperwork to become the Republican presidential nominee. The signing took place just days after an assassination attempt that has left the Trump family and supporters on edge. Melania, dressed in a striking red skirt suit, accompanied Trump but did not join the rest of the family in the convention hall to listen to Hulk Hogan's address.
Ivanka Trump, Don Jr., and Tiffany Trump were present in the main box of the convention hall, cheering with the crowd while Hulk Hogan and Eric Trump rallied the delegates with chants of "Four more years." The former president, surrounded by his children and grandchildren, was preparing to address the convention, marking a pivotal moment in his campaign.
Melania Trump was spotted boarding Trump Force One in Newark, N.J., on Thursday night, accompanied by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, heading to Milwaukee. Despite being offered the opportunity to address the delegates, she declined, choosing instead to remain behind the scenes. This year, unlike the 2016 and 2020 conventions, she has opted for a more subdued role.
Ivanka Trump attended the convention in her "personal capacity" to support her father. While she has distanced herself from politics since Trump decided to run for a second term, her brothers, Don Jr. and Eric, have been active surrogates on the campaign trail. Eric's wife, Lara, joined the Republican National Committee to assist in Trump's re-election efforts.
Where is Melania?
With her husband pic.twitter.com/IbIJGHryVV — Madeleine Case Tweets (@McCannCaseTweet) July 19, 2024
The Trump family has shown a united front following the assassination attempt on July 13th. Melania Trump, who rarely makes public statements, shared her horror and gratitude in an emotional post on X (formerly Twitter). She described the gunman as a "monster" and expressed her relief that her husband survived the attack.
"A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald's passion - his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration," Melania wrote. "When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband."
She called for unity and reflection, urging people to rise above hatred and violence. "The winds of change have arrived. For those of you who cry in support, I thank you. I commend those of you who have reached out beyond the political divide - thank you for remembering that every single politician is a man or a woman with a loving family," her statement continued.
Notably absent from the convention was Barron Trump, the couple's 18-year-old son. Barron attended his first political rally earlier in July, a week before the assassination attempt, where he received a warm welcome from the crowd. He graduated from high school in May and is expected to attend college in the fall. His last public appearance with his parents was at his graduation.
Melania Trump has kept a low profile, making only a few public appearances with her husband for campaign events. These include the campaign kickoff at Mar-a-Lago in November 2022, voting in the Florida presidential primary in March, and attending a high-dollar fundraiser in Palm Beach in April. When asked in March if she would join Trump on the campaign trail, she responded enigmatically, "Stay tuned."
Her absence at the first presidential debate in Atlanta was noted, as Trump walked off the stage alone while Joe Biden was accompanied by Jill Biden. However, Melania did host two fundraisers for the Log Cabin Republicans, a conservative LGBTQ+ organization, at Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower in New York.
As the former first lady made her appearance in Milwaukee, it marked her first major political outing with Trump since he announced his 2024 campaign. Sources close to her have noted that she was deeply shaken by the assassination attempt. In her statement, she described the would-be assassin's actions as a direct attack on her husband's humanity and expressed profound gratitude to those who protected him.
