Former First Lady Melania Trump has been rather elusive since her husband left office in 2021. Now, as we head deeper into the 2024 presidential campaign season, she’s participating more.
Just this week, she hosted a campaign fundraiser at former President Donald Trump’s Trump Tower penthouse in New York City that brought in more than $1 million, according to reports from Page Six and Newsweek. It was a fundraiser for Log Cabin Republicans, a longtime group for LGBTQ conservatives named after Republican President Abraham Lincoln. Previously, the group gave Melania it’s “Spirit of Lincoln Award.”
“It’s the first campaign event ever held at the Trump residence,” said an X post from Richard Grenell, a gay Republican who served in Trump’s cabinet. “And we raised $1.4 million in one night.”
Audacy reported earlier this year that Melania would attend an April 20 event for the group at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. We also reported that Jenna Ellis, an attorney who in the past served as legal counsel for Trump and was indicted alongside him in the Georgia election interference case, criticized Melania’s expected attendance. Log Cabin Republicans struck back on X at the time, that they were “building bridges” instead of burning them.
“This was an amazingly spectacular event, for Log Cabin Republicans and the future of the Republican Party. We cannot be thankful enough to @MelaniaTrump for her leadership and support of equality for all. This Republican Party is one for ALL Americans,” said the group of the New York event this month in an X post.
Page Six called the event an “intimate gathering of megadonors,” and cited a guest that said “Hors d’oeuvres and Champagne flowed as the first lady generously welcomed the guests to her home with off-the-cuff remarks.”
Per the outlet, it was the first campaign event of the year at the Trump’s personal residence in New York. It said Kellyanne Conway, ex-Sen. Kelly Loeffler, former cabinet member Ric Grenell, Nazee Moinian, former diplomats Georgette Mosbacher and John Rakolta and his wife, Terry, Bill White and Bryan Eure, former US Attorney General Matt Whitaker and Melania’s stylist Hervé Pierre were there.
A Page Six source said Melania told guests that Trump “must win” the election.
While Axios said that Trump’s camp has promised that Melania would be at more public events, she was reportedly absent late last month at the first presidential debate. That move broke with longstanding tradition, per an Audacy report.
In March, Audacy shared insight from experts who expected Melania to avoid many public appearances during her husband’s campaign. Just this month, we covered a reported agreement between the couple that would go into effect if he wins the election and takes office in January.
“The former first lady is looking to do things differently this time around, hoping to spend less time in the spotlight,” we reported. A source from Page Six said “she will not have to be on first lady duty 24/7.”
Instead, the report said Melania will take time to focus on helping the couple’s son – 18-year-old Barron Trump – get settled in to his first year of college. According to the Daily Mail, Trump said his son has already chosen a college. This week, The Palm Beach Post reported that he could potentially go to the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University and New York University.
“She’s a hands-on mother and is already planning to spend part of every month – and potentially every week – in NYC,” the source explained.
Barron recently attended his first campaign rally shorty after Melania’s Log Cabin Republicans event in New York, The Telegraph reported.
Mary Jordan, a Washington Post associate editor and author of a book about Melania, cited by Axios said Melania’s approach to the role of first lady stands out from others who have taken on the role.
“Her view is unelected, not paid,” said Jordan. She also said Melania is expected to have a larger staff this time if Trump wins.