Melania Trump makes rare appearance to watch Donald speak

Donald Trump’s elusive wife Melania has made her first public appearance since the former president narrowly missed an assassin’s bullet.

Dressed in Republican red, she walked alone into the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to the accompaniment of classical music — a stark contrast to the country anthems and rock ballads we’d heard all week.

Glossy and glamorous, she looked more like she was walking on a catwalk than attending a political meeting. She looked as mysterious and distant as ever.

After his lengthy acceptance speech, she joined him on stage just before balloons rained down on thousands of people in the crowd. Donald Trump hugged her and the two kissed on the cheek.

He then grabbed her hand and walked to the podium accompanied by other family members.

Since her husband was first elected in 2016, Melania Trump has broken all the normal rules of American presidential politics.

Compared with other first ladies in Trump’s first term in the White House, she was a reclusive figure focused on narrow interests. The National Archives describes her as an “ambassador of kindness” and an advocate for children’s issues.

Since her husband left office, she has repeatedly refused to appear at his side when the public expected her to.

She was not present when he took photos in Atlanta. She was not in New York when he became the first former president to be convicted. She was not present on Monday when he officially won his party’s presidential nomination for a third time.

“Melania did what Melania wanted to do,” said Mary Jordan, who wrote “The Art of Her Deal,” a biography of the former first lady. “She’s very independent and doesn’t do something just because someone else has done it. She doesn’t feel any obligation to do it.

We’re all used to the fact by now that she won’t be appearing at many of Donald Trump’s events, but when he walked into the arena in Milwaukee on Monday, he was greeted with as much enthusiasm as if he’d survived an assassination The Messiah is as welcome a try as her absence feels particularly noticeable.

The Republicans gathered here certainly took notice, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t excited about her presence when she finally did.

Melania is the most enigmatic first lady in recent history, and we rarely hear her thoughts.

One exception is the lengthy statement she issued after her husband’s shooting, which reads as if she had spoken it directly.

“A monster who viewed my husband as a dehumanizing political machine sought to inspire Donald’s passion – his laughter, his intelligence, his love of music and his inspiration,” she said.

“The core aspect of my husband’s life – his human side – was buried beneath the political machine. Donald, a generous and loving man, was with me through the best of times and the worst of times.

It is a tradition at party conventions for a candidate’s spouse to give a speech and tell numerous scripted anecdotes about family life.

On Wednesday night, Usha Vance, the wife of Trump’s new running mate J.D. Vance, did just that. She calls her husband a “meat and potatoes” man, but says he now cooks vegetarian Indian food for her, an apparent display of his devotion.

Although Donald Trump’s eldest son Don Jr., second son Eric, daughter-in-law Laura and granddaughter Kay all spoke at the conference, Melania declined the opportunity to speak. She knew very well that she wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want to do.

When she introduced her husband at the 2016 convention, when he was first running for president, things went terribly wrong.

She was criticized for plagiarizing a speech Michelle Obama gave when introducing her husband, Barack, at the Democratic National Convention in 2008. Melania’s speechwriter later accepted the blame.

First ladies are always under scrutiny for the persona they project, the careers they pursue, and the clothes they wear.

But Melania Trump is the first to be a former professional model. She looks stunningly beautiful in the photos and is well aware of the power of her image. By providing so few photo opportunities, she makes each photo more powerful.

“She was very savvy and cultivated the mystique of the mysterious woman by going underground, and when she came out, things were so much bigger,” Ms. Jordan said.

“She doesn’t show up often, but when Donald Trump really needs her, she shows up.”

Melania feels lost after Saturday’s assassination attempt on him. But on Thursday night, as she slowly walked up the stairs to the VIP area, pausing at the top and waving to all corners of the stage, she demonstrated her mastery of the power of images.

Sometimes, her absence can be her strength.