Melania's only role in Trump campaign could be of 'absent, disapproving spouse': analysis

Former First Lady Melania Trump may be back in the public eye — but according to New York Magazine's Intelligencer, she still "hasn't decided" the extent to which, or even whether, she'll play a role in her husband's re-election campaign.

"In recent weeks, Melania has been dipping her toes into a return to campaigning, but she still won’t commit to jumping back in," reported Margaret Hartmann. "Throughout 2023, Melania said and did almost nothing to indicate that she wants to return to the White House. Her only statement on the matter came in May 2023, via a brief online-only, photo-free interview with Fox News. 'He has my support, and we look forward to restoring hope for the future and leading America with love and strength,' she said."

Trump vowed in September that Melania would join him on the campaign trail "pretty soon," the report notes.

However, "As it turns out, 'pretty soon' meant 'within five or six months,' depending on whether you consider hanging out with some Trumpettes in her own home a public campaign appearance."

Melania attended a fundraising gala hosted by the Trump fan club at Mar-a-Lago on Feb. 11 of this year, according to the report.

"Days later, Trump claimed in an interview with Laura Ingraham that his wife was eager to get back out there," New York Magazine reports, noting she's only been seen in public three times since that point.

And only of those occurrences was for campaign-related activity, the report notes.

While she has not been engaged with the public, one person knowledgeable of Melania has previously said she routinely searches the web for mentions of herself.

Meanwhile, Melania has not even committed to appearing at the Republican National Convention yet, the report noted.

"So, sure, Melania will 'definitely have a role' in Trump’s 2024 campaign," the report concludes, "but perhaps only in the sense that 'absent, disapproving spouse' is a role."