Melania Trump's absence continues despite Donald's promise of her "big role"

Palm Beach, Florida - The world is still asking, "Where is Melania Trump?" after her husband, Donald Trump, promised she would soon join him on the campaign trail as he fights for re-election.

Donald Trump (l.) promised that his wife, Melania, would join him on the campaign trail, but social media users are still debating her continued absence.
Donald Trump (l.) promised that his wife, Melania, would join him on the campaign trail, but social media users are still debating her continued absence.  © IMAGO / UPI Photo

Earlier this week, prominent Trump critic Ron Filipkowski shared a recent photo on social media of the former president posing with Fox News host Jeanine Pirro.

"Not Melania," Filipkowski pointed out in the caption of the post, predictably igniting a handful of "Where the hell is Melania?!" responses in the comments.

The world has been left in suspense, as the former first lady has been noticeably absent for some time now, as her husband runs for re-election and battles 91 criminal charges, along with a mountain of other legal issues.

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The debate around her whereabouts has been further exacerbated by strange public moments, such as when she was missing from a Trump family Christmas card.

But during a Fox News town hall in South Carolina last week, Trump promised that his wife is soon "going to be out a lot."

He also made a similar vow last month when he told Fox News' Brian Kilmeade that Melania will soon be playing "a big role" in his campaign.

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Donald Trump (r.) kissing Melania Trump after the first lady delivered a speech during the Republican National Convention in August 2020.
Donald Trump (r.) kissing Melania Trump after the first lady delivered a speech during the Republican National Convention in August 2020.  © IMAGO / UPI Photo

Besides Trump's claims, which are always subject to scrutiny, sources revealed in December that Melania had agreed to "step up top-tier diplomatic appearances in 2024" in a bid to "join the ranks of historic first ladies and leave her mark on history."

Melania has made sporadic appearances during public events at her husband's Mar-a-Lago resort in recent weeks, but she has yet to make a comeback into the public eye.

Despite their adamant efforts to always appear as a loving couple, in a new book titled American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden, author Katie Rogers details instances that paint a much different picture.

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Per PEOPLE, Rogers revealed the couple would bicker constantly during Trump's time in the White House. In one instance, he grew furious when he found Melania watching CNN and insisted that Fox News be played at all times.

Rogers went on to describe Melania as "a rare figure in the Trump administration who seemed more interested in calming a cultural divide than widening it."

The former first lady notably skipped out on several public events earlier this year while her mother was hospitalized before she passed away in January.

Cover photo: IMAGO / UPI Photo

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