Melania Trump Issues First Statement Since Donald Trump's Indictment
Former first lady Melania Trump has issued her first public statement since her husband, former President Donald Trump, was indicted in connection with a hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Trump turned himself in last Tuesday to authorities in New York, where he was arraigned on 34 counts of falsifying business records. CBS News reported Melania did not appear beside Trump during his court appearance.
In a statement she posted on Twitter on Tuesday, Melania struck back at "assumptions" over her absence from public view following Trump's arrest and arraignment.
She also lashed out at "unnamed sources" following reports claiming she was urged to be more visible in Trump's 2024 presidential run.
"News organizations 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," the Office of Melania Trump tweeted.
In a subsequent tweet, the former first lady asked the public to "exercise caution and good judgment when determining whether or not stories concerning the former First Lady are accurate, particularly when they fail to cite Mrs. Trump as a source of information."
In her first tweet in weeks, Melania also tweeted, "Happy Easter!" on Sunday.
On April 4, Trump flew to New York for his arraignment and returned to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as soon as it was over. That night, the former president addressed his supporters, and Melania was still not at her husband's side during the Mar-a-Lago address.
Trump's three children, namely Donald Trump Jr., Tiffany Trump, and Eric Trump, were in attendance, including some of his supporters, like GOP Representatives Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene.
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Melania Trump Was Seen With Donald Trump for the First Time Since Indictment
The statement from Melania Trump comes two days after she was seen in public with her husband for the first time since the indictment, the New York Post reported.
The former first lady accompanied Donald Trump to Easter brunch at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, when she broke her silence online one week after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged the former president.
According to a Page Six source, Melania's Easter brunch with Trump came after the former president begged his wife to be by his side as he ran in the 2024 presidential election.
"He told her, 'I really need you for this because we are going to be campaigning,'" the insider noted. "They had a major talk over the weekend, and she has... agreed to be on board."
A friend of Melania told the outlet last week that she was "angry" about Trump's arrest and in denial about their "transactional" marriage.
Melania Trump Left Donald Trump When Stormy Daniels Scandal Broke Out
Melania Trump reportedly opted for some time away from Donald Trump after the news broke that her husband paid porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about their sexual affair.
Reports said Melania left Washington, D.C., for West Palm Beach in Florida on an unannounced trip to get away from her husband for several days after the payoff to Daniels was reported in January 2018.
She was caring for their then-four-month-old son Barron at the time of the fling. A source told the Daily Mail in 2018 the former first lady "spends three to four days a week away from the White House and has stayed at a hotel in D.C. multiple times," often for days after news of the payment broke.
The insider further noted that Melania also traveled to New York and rarely came into Trump's West Wing office as "other first ladies have done, and her schedule is vague at best."
The source said Melania seemed to be avoiding duties at the time "unless there was a very special reason." The insider added that the scandal "was upsetting and humiliating," and her relationship with Trump became strained at the time.
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Written by: Bert Hoover
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