Melania Trump seen for the first time since mysteriously skipping husband's first presidential debate
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Melania Trump was seen in public for the first time since skipping the first president debate, walking into Trump Tower in New York City on Monday.
The former first lady wore green skinny-leg pants, a black jacket, and black flats. She wore sunglasses and carried a large black Louis Vuitton bag.
Aides loaded piles of Louis Vuitton luggage onto carts to bring into the Trump's New York City residence.
She was notably absent - with no explanination given - from last week's debate where Joe Biden struggled for answers. Jill Biden was there and joined her husband on stage at the debate's conclusion.
Donald Trump walked off the debate stage alone.
Melania Trump was seen in public for the first time since skipping the debate
It's unclear where Melania Trump has been spending her summer. The Trump family usually decamps to Bedminister, New Jersey, were they have homes on Donald Trump's private golf club.
But the former president was doing debate preparations from Mar-a-Lago, his home in Palm Beach.
Melania's absence from the debate was a remarkable break in tradition.
She did attend all debates in the 2016 and 2020 election cycles.
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'Families started attending the debates regularly in 1976 and it would be pretty shocking for the wife of a candidate to break that tradition,' presidential historian Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky said.
Her absence follows a reports she may not live in Washington D.C. fulltime if her husband wins a second term in the White House.
Those close to the former first lady believe she will likely split her time between Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City – especially with Barron, 18, tipped to attend New York University
Melania would instead only travel to Washington, D.C. for ceremonial responsibilities like state dinners and other special events.
Her office did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com about the report.
Public sightings of Melania are rare, particularly when it comes to Donald Trump's attempt to win a second term in the White House.
Melania Trump was seen walking into Trump Tower in New York
She carried a black Louis Vuitton bag
Seven months into 2024 she has yet to appear at a campaign rally for her husband. She did not appear at a June 14th birthday party for Donald Trump organized by his fan club.
Melania Trump has rarely showed public support for her husband as he seeks a second term in the White House.
She joined Trump when he announced his 2024 presidential bid in November of last year. But, otherwise, she only appeared at one fundraiser for his campaign and went to vote with her husband in Florida's primary.
'Stay tuned,' she told reporters when asked if she'd campaign for Trump.
But it's unclear what she meant by that.
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Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former friend of Melania Trump turned critic, said the former first lady has 'not been by her husband's side whatsoever' as he seeks a return to the White House.
'I would say, several years ago, she would have been there more,' Winston Wolkoff said on the MeidasTouch Podcast.
Melania Trump will make a rare political appearance on July 8th when she holds a fundraiser for Log Cabin Republicans, the largest conservative LGBTQ+ organization.
The event will be at Trump Tower in New York and is the second fundraiser she's hosted for the group. The first was at Mar-a-Lago in April.
The July event will charge attendees $100,000 per-head.
She was last seen in public in New York City last week, leaving Trump Tower, beating the heat in a summer skirt and white shirt.The couple was last seen in public together in May at Barron's high school graduation.