It seems there’s always a storm raging around Donald Trump. One could argue that an inescapable pitfall of being President of the United States is that your every move will be analysed and debated, but even by traditional presidential standards, Trump’s ability to make headlines remains unparalleled.
Much of the focus this past week has been on the 79-year-old’s apparent obsession with ensuring Greenland comes under U.S. control. The president himself, along with his highest-ranking staffers and notable members of his administration, have repeatedly pushed the idea that owning Greenland is vital to American security moving forward, even if any acquisition or forced takeover comes at the cost of NATO.
Suffice to say there was a veritable maelstrom of backlash, and in amongst it all one person extremely close to Trump has seemingly disappeared.
Melania Trump made it clear prior to taking on the role of First Lady for the second time that she had no plans on moving mountains with the influence granted unto her by the office. Even so, it’s reported that she’s not been seen by Trump’s side for 20 days now, and some experts are arguing that it’s by own her choice.
It’s fair to assume the majority of Americans hadn’t given much thought to Greenland, part of the Kingdom of Denmark since the 1800s, prior to Trump being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.
Yet since the turn of the year it’s become perhaps the fiercest talking point across the world. Trump repeatedly broached the idea of “buying” or “taking over” Greenland, despite the fact that Denmark, many Greenlanders, and several European nations have made it clear time and again that it is not for sale.
Trump having to walk through a hellfire of criticism in order to push his agenda is nothing new, but the absence of his wife is something certain experts are now aiming to point out.
The last time Donald and Melania were reportedly pictured side by side was during the New Year’s celebration at Mar-a-Lago.
Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet first reported on the First Lady’s apparent absence. Melania published a post on X on January 20 expressing her gratitude for her first year as First Lady, but beyond that she has not been seen, according to the newspaper.
“She is conspicuous by her absence. It is fundamentally difficult to form an opinion about Melania Trump and her as the first lady of the United States, because she is simply not visible,” writes Sigrid Rege Gårdsvoll, a commentator for Vårt Land and AmerikanskPolitikk.no.
That Melania is taking a backseat is perhaps not genuinely surprising to anyone who’s followed the narrative of Trump’s second presidency, but it has got people talking.
Eirik Løkke, advisor at Civita and expert on the USA, told Dagbladet that Melania’s decision to keep herself away from the spotlight is nothing strange.
“She does not want to take on a public role, but prefers to stay in the background,” Løkke said. “This was clear throughout the 2024 election campaign, compared to previous first ladies and wives of presidential candidates.”
Moreover, he explained that Melania vanishing from the public eye is a “conscious choice.”
“Everything pales in comparison to Donald Trump and how he is as president. I don’t think he is interested in anyone else getting attention. And now there has been even more attention than before.”
What do you make of Melania not being seen in 20 days? Let us know in the comments.
READ MORE
- Eye-opening approval ratings reveal what Americans truly think about Trump’s second term
- Former CIA spy says he knows ‘true reason’ Trump wants to take over Greenland
