Melania Trump makes first public appearance in more than 3 weeks

WASHINGTON — Melania Trump made her first official appearance at the White House on Monday night since her hospitalization more than three weeks ago.

Strutting in black high heels and a black dress, the first lady walked unassisted into a White House reception Monday evening to honor families of service members killed in the line of duty.

The White House closed the event to the press to honor the privacy of the military families, but one Gold Star family member happened to be a reporter for the Daily Caller, who caught Melania’s post-surgery debut entrance on video.

President Donald Trump addressed his wife’s hospitalization to the more than 40 Gold Star families who were invited.

“Melania had a little problem a couple weeks ago but she wouldn’t miss this for anything,” he said, according to the Daily Caller’s Jena Greene, whose father, Marine Lt. Col. David S. Greene, was killed in Iraq in 2004 when his helicopter was shot down.

Trump joked about speculation that Melania had left him given her prolonged absence. But the president reassured his guests that the First Couple is still together. “Isn’t that right honey,” Trump said.

The first lady later tweeted official photos of the ceremony showing her sitting aside her husband in the front row. Vice President Mike Pence and wife Karen were also in attendance.

Melania Trump issued a statement Monday night calling it a “privilege” to honor America’s “fallen heroes and their families” at the White House.

“To all those who have lost loved ones in service to our country, our nation grieves with you,” Melania said in a statement. “It is a solemn reminder that we, the American people, are able to live as freely as we do because of the selfless sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. We remain indebted to each of them and we honor them today, together, with their families.”

Melania Trump hadn’t been seen publicly since May 10. The White House announced four days later she was at Walter Reed Medical Center after undergoing a “successful” kidney procedure for a “benign” condition.

She was hospitalized for almost a week and stayed out of the public eye as she recovered. Melania won’t join Trump on two upcoming foreign trips to Canada and Singapore, where he’s to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12.