MELANIA TRUMP has hit back at “assumptions” over her unexplained absence from her husband’s side following his arrest over payment of hush money to a porn star.
he rare public comments from the former first lady followed reports that Donald Trump (76) urged her to be more visible during his 2024 presidential run.
According to the gossip website Page Six, Mr Trump had told his wife: “I really need you for this.”
Mrs Trump (52) was photographed alongside her husband for an Easter brunch at their Mar-a-Lago home in Florida, with sources reportedly saying she had “agreed to be on board” with her husband’s campaign.
One source told Page Six the former first lady’s appearance was “a big statement”.
“This was a statement [saying], ‘We are together, I stand by my husband’,” it reported. It followed Mrs Trump’s conspicuous absence from his national address at the mansion, when he railed against his criminal prosecution in New York.
Mr Trump was arrested and pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records last week over payments to the porn actress Stormy Daniels shortly before his 2016 election win.
Daniels alleges she had an affair with Mr Trump in 2006, shortly after Melania had given birth to the couple’s son Barron. Mr Trump has repeatedly denied the affair and claims the payments were to protect his family, not his presidential campaign.
One source close to Mrs Trump confirmed her position to People magazine: “Melania is not now or hasn’t recently taken part in her husband’s political events. It is not comfortable for her.”
In a rare statement on Monday, the former first lady’s office said: “News organisations have made assumptions about the former first lady’s stance on subjects that are personal, professional, and political over the past few weeks.
“In these articles, unnamed sources are cited to bolster the author’s claims. We ask readers to exercise caution.”
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2023]