Why Melania might not live in the White House full-time if Trump wins
First Lady experts claim that if Donald Trump wins another term in 2024, his wife Melania will likely not move back into the White House. They speculate that the former first lady will split her time between the residence at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach and New York City – especially now that it's thought their son Barron, 18, might attend New York University.
It's likely Melania would only come back to Washington, D.C. for ceremonial responsibilities – like state dinners – or other special events. This is a massive break it tradition and is an unprecedented move for a first lady to not live with her husband in the presidential residence.
'She's distancing herself even more from her husband and from the Washington social political scene,' Kate Andersen Brower, who's written several books about first ladies, told Axios of Melania's potential future movements. 'I mean, she clearly hated being in Washington,' she added.
Melania sightings remain scarce since the Trumps left the White House in 2021. She was largely absent during her husband's hush money trial in Manhattan, and emerged from Trump Tower days afterwards with luggage and Barron in tow.
If Trump does win in November, insiders are signaling Americans should not expect to see the model-turned-first lady return to the East Wing or make more appearances in D.C. Barron, Trump's youngest son, will also likely not be moving back to the White House as he plans to attend college in the fall.
Washington Post associate editor Mary Jordan, an author of a book about Melania, claims: 'Melania does what Melania wants.' 'Her view is unelected, not paid,' Jordan told Axios, adding this makes her 'stand out in history from any other first lady.'
Melania has also avoided making frequent appearances on the 2024 campaign trial – only sometimes engaging in private events. Next month, the former first lady is hosting the conservative LGBT group Log Cabin Republicans for a fundraiser at her and Donald's Trump Tower residence in New York City.
If another Trump term does come to fruition next year, Jordan speculates that Melania would ensure she has a bigger, 'better' and 'more qualified' staff this time around.
'Now having seen how this works, she would just be wiser and she would be more vocal and more demanding about what the first lady's office should get,' she added. 'Stay tuned,' Melania said last month when asked if Americans could expect to see more of her on the campaign trail soon.
