WASHINGTON, DC: Former First Lady Melania Trump's absence from former President Donald Trump's first presidential debate of this election cycle could be interpreted as a deliberate message to her husband that this political journey he has embarked upon is his and his alone.

During a Fox News interview in May 2023, the ex-FLOTUS asserted that she is fully supportive of her husband's bid to return to the Oval Office without any help from the January 6 prisoners. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that she has to assist him in reaching that goal or accompany him to the White House if he does win the presidency come November, per NickiSwift.com.

In recent years, numerous reports have indicated that Melania would rather serve as a one-term First Lady. "Being first lady again is not what she wants," a source familiar with her thoughts on the matter told CNN in 2021.

In June 2024, other experts on Melania, who could comprehend her inner thoughts, elaborated to Axios on how she might handle a second Donald Trump presidency. They believe she would reduce the first lady role to an unpaid part-time position by only traveling to DC for major events. For quite some time now, there have been indications that Melania would prefer not to resume her former responsibilities.

Melania Trump was allegedly unhappy during her time at the White House

The initial White House stay of Melania Trump was reportedly quite unpleasant. It appeared that Melania might not be eager to return to the White House based on reports of her unhappiness during her first residency there. The delay in her move in 2017 due to Barron Trump's schooling suggested her reluctance. An insider from the Trump family revealed in February 2017 to Us Weekly, "Melania is unhappy with how her life ended up,” adding. “She is miserable."

In 2018, People magazine reported that living in the DC spotlight was particularly challenging for Melania Trump due to her private nature. The constant media attention to her husband's various scandals added to her distress. An insider stated, "Now it's a 24/7 tornado. She hates it."

Melania also was said to abhor some performative aspects of her role, such as engaging in small talk to charm world leaders. According to a source, "She doesn't have a lot to say. She's not a conversationalist overall." Additionally, there's the well-known incident of her expressing frustration with Christmas decoration duties. In a recording shared with CNN by her former senior advisor, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Melania can be heard complaining about the Christmas decorations, saying, "I'm working ... my a** off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f*** about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?"

Melania Trump wants to be closer to her son Barron Trump

As per some accounts, former First Lady Melania Trump is not planning to be a parent on the go now that her son, Barron Trump, is an adult. She may even choose to live thousands of miles away from the White House to keep a watchful eye on him, if necessary. In March 2024, a source told People magazine, "Melania's main job is taking care of Barron, and I think it's possible that she will follow him wherever he goes to school." The source also mentioned that Melania would always prioritize her son over her husband's political aspirations.

According to The Telegraph, Melania is keen on keeping Barron away from politics, and residing near his college would be one way to achieve this. This would make it easier for Barron to visit his mother whenever he wanted, and lower the risk of him getting involved in his father's political activities. The Daily Beast reported that Barron was looking into the possibility of attending New York University, which would allow Melania to return to Trump Tower.

In June 2024, a source informed Page Six that Melania and Donald Trump had potentially arranged for her to spend several weeks each month in New York with Barron, in the event of the 78-year-old MAGA strongman's reelection as President of the United States. According to the insider, "She can provide both emotional and physical support by being close."

Melania Trump has been no-show for Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign

In February 2024, former President Donald Trump assured Fox News that Melania Trump would join him in campaigning regularly. "She's going to be out a lot, not because she likes doing it, but because she likes the results," the 2024 presumptive GOP presidential nominee stated. Despite this, Melania's appearances at his political events remained few and far between, which left him in an embarrassing position.

It's possible that by withholding her presence, Melania was subtly undermining Trump’s presidential campaign. This doesn't necessarily instill confidence in a presidential candidate when his spouse isn't openly supportive. A source told People in 2021, "She is not one bit interested in another campaign, and certainly not participating in it," claiming, "If he should win, that would be the worst-case scenario for her."

Although rumors persist about their troubled marriage, Melania's absence from the campaign appears unrelated. Melania was in attendance at the Trump International Golf Club when her husband bagged two trophies in March 2024. Additionally, the couple attended attorney Alina Habba's birthday party in April. It seems Melania's message to her husband is clear; if he wants to spend time with her, it shouldn't be tied to his political ambitions.

Melania Trump is enjoying the good life in Mar-a-Lago

Former First Lady Melania Trump was eager to depart the White House in 2020 following former President Donald Trump's election defeat, and it seems her life improved significantly once she left DC. According to a source who spoke to People magazine in March 2023, Melania was enjoying the sunny atmosphere in Florida, despite encountering some turbulence related to Donald's reopened hush-money case. The insider mentioned, "Melania is leading her own life, and still feels happy being at Mar-a-Lago, surrounded by people who love her and who never talk about reality, or bad things about her husband.”

After relocating to Florida, Melania was reportedly devoting much of her time to self-care. A source informed CNN, "She goes to the spa, has lunch, goes to the spa (again) and has dinner with Donald on the patio," claiming that she frequently indulges in massages and manicures as well.

According to The Washington Post, she occasionally has a staff member bring her snacks while she relaxes in the sauna. Additionally, for her hair, The New York Times reports that Melania maintains its impeccable appearance by traveling to New York City to visit her preferred stylist. It's difficult to envision Melania giving up this luxurious, undemanding lifestyle for one that entails work and constant public scrutiny.

Melania Trump is amenable to 'female surrogates' filling in for her

In 2021, while Melania Trump was taking a step back from the public eye, other women associated with Donald Trump appeared to swoop in and divert the attention towards them. This included Kimberly Guilfoyle, fiancee of Donald Trump Jr, and Lara Trump, who is now the co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and is married to Eric Trump.

According to a source speaking to CNN, "They have that same urge Trump has to (run) again; Melania absolutely does not." Melania can take comfort in the fact that when she is not in DC, there are female surrogates who are ready and willing to take her place.

While Melania was residing in the White House, she reportedly disapproved of Ivanka Trump's encroachment on her domain. According to the book ‘The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump,’ Ivanka was starting to act a little too much like she was the First Lady, which bothered Melania.

She was particularly displeased when Ivanka took it upon herself to redesign the Oval Office.

However, now, Melania appears content to observe from the sidelines while other women in the family take on roles resembling that of the First Lady. For instance, it was Lara who addressed the media outside the Manhattan courtroom during Donald Trump's hush-money trial. Even though Melania was in New York at the time, she chose not to attend the trial in support of her husband. It seems she has grown disinterested in the whole situation.