WASHINGTON – She is known for her privacy and White House independence,often breaking with her husband’s schedule. But Melania Trump’s unusual25-day absence from public view following surgery for a “benign” kidneycondition has raised questions.
The first lady is scheduled to re-emerge in the public eye later Monday ata private reception for families of US soldiers killed in action — herfirst public appearance since being hospitalized last month.
But the event is billed as closed press, only heightening speculation aboutwhy Donald Trump’s wife is avoiding the cameras.
Melania Trump, 48, has not been spotted since May 10, when she joined thepresident in greeting three American hostages released by North Korea.
Shortly afterwards she entered Walter Reed National Military Medical Centerfor what the White House described as a benign kidney procedure.
Despite the operation’s routine nature, Melania remained there for fivedays, returning to the White House May 19.
On Sunday her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham confirmed that Melania will notaccompany the president to the G7 summit in Canada, nor to planned NorthKorea nuclear talks in Singapore.
It is a noticeable shift from weeks prior to her kidney surgery, when sheengaged in several high profile events.
In April, she represented the Trumps at former first lady Barbara Bush’sfuneral, rolled out her “Be Best” awareness campaign to help children, andorchestrated an elaborate state dinner with French President EmmanuelMacron and wife Brigitte.
Following her medical operation, her absence at events where the public hascome to expect to see her alongside the president was well documented,leading her to take to Twitter to castigate reporters.
“I see the media is working overtime speculating where I am & what I’mdoing,” she tweeted Wednesday, assuring she was “here at the @WhiteHouse wmy family, feeling great, & working hard.”
The tweet sparked a conspiracy theory that Trump himself may have writtenMelania’s message, given that “working overtime” is a favorite idiom of thepresident when he tweets about the press.
Comedian Sarah Silverman re-tweeted the first lady’s post, adding: “Who isthis? where’s Melania?”
The first lady skipped ceremonies including a Memorial Day wreath-laying.
And she was not seen Friday boarding the helicopter that shuttled thepresident, daughters Ivanka and Tiffany, and Donald Trump Jr to Camp Davidfor a weekend retreat.
– Imagination ‘running wild’ –
The rumor mill has churned online.
Some have speculated she has moved back to New York City, or is cooperatingwith special counsel Robert Mueller, while others offer she may be healingafter some secret plastic surgery.
Such a weeks-long disappearance by a modern-day first lady is indeed rare,said Ohio University history professor Katherine Jellison, an expert onfirst ladies.
“I’m amazed Mrs Trump has been able to do it,” she told AFP.
The first lady is not an elected position, and Melania Trump is under noobligation to keep the American people abreast of her health, activities orwhereabouts.
Several 19th century first ladies spent long periods out of view. But overthe past half century it has become the public expectation that people knowthe basic narrative of the first lady’s activities.
Melania Trump, never one to obsess like her husband about media attention,has laid low before.
She went quiet in March as a media storm raged about revelations that herhusband’s lawyer paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 before the 2016election to keep silent over her alleged affair with Trump years earlier.
White House silence, including about why Melania spent five days inhospital for a routine procedure, is only fueling the speculation.
“Without greater detail about her ‘benign’ condition, the publicimagination is running wild,” Jellison said.
“For most of the 20th century and certainly in the 21st century, a firstlady hasn’t had the option of not being a public figure — regardless ofunfortunate personal circumstances,” Jellison said. – APP/AFP