Melania Trump, the invisible first lady
What becomes of Melania Trump? For the first time in recent American history, the first lady is conspicuous by her absence, far from the White House and silent on the role she intends to play.
The former model of Slovenian origin, 46, the first woman born abroad to become first lady since 1825, had nevertheless succeeded in entering during the investiture ceremony on January 20: her Jackie Kennedy elegance during her husband's swearing-in and the balls that followed earned her rave reviews from the American press.
But since an appearance at church alongside the president on Jan.21, she has returned to her apartments at Trump Tower in New York City to watch over her son Barron, 10, the last of the Trump dynasty, and remains invisible.
Almost silent on Twitter, she missed Tuesday the presentation ceremony of Neil Gorsuch, the judge chosen by Donald Trump for the Supreme Court. However, the wives of judge and vice-president Mike Pence took part. And it was Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter, who accompanied her father to a ceremony on Wednesday in honor of an American soldier who died in Yemen.
US Weekly magazine even claimed that Melania and Barron might not move to Washington at the end of the school year, contrary to what had been announced.
"They will decide at the end of the school year if they continue like this (staying in New York) or if they move to Washington," said a close relative quoted by the magazine. "It is the best solution for Barron who will win."
Donald Trump had also told the New York Times that Melania, 24 years his junior, and Barron would join him in the White House on weekends.
But mother and son are said to have stayed in New York this past weekend, disrupted by protests across the country against the new US president's anti-refugee decree. The Trumps are nevertheless expected to meet this weekend at Trump's luxurious residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
Towards a big first?
"If the rumors are true that she does not intend to settle permanently in the White House, it will be unprecedented," said Katherine Jellison, professor of history at Ohio University, first ladies specialist.
Her absence from the ceremony on Tuesday "is highly unusual: it is typically an event where she should be," adds Ms. Jellison.
Asked in December to know if he would feel alone without her in Washington, Donald Trump simply replied: "No, I will have work".
Apart from professing her admiration for Jackie Kennedy and Michelle Obama, Melania has so far said nothing about the role she intends to play.
As questions arose in the press about his absence, the White House announced Wednesday evening the appointment of its chief of staff, Lindsay Reynolds, a former administration of George W. Bush, who assured that Melania "was carefully selecting his team ”.
In addition to Ms Reynolds, Melania has also appointed a close advisor to a longtime friend, ex-Vogue director and New York nightlife planner Stephanie Winston Wolkoff.
For MaryAnne Borrelli, a professor of government at Connecticut College and co-author of a First Ladies report prepared for Trump's transition team, it's too early to draw any conclusions.
Most of the First Ladies, with the exception of Rosalynn Carter and Hillary Clinton, were also low-key during their husbands' first 100 days of presidency.
Even Michelle Obama, who left the White House very involved and very popular, had started slowly, especially emphasizing her role as a mother in the first weeks.
“The First Lady often presents her priorities in March or April, to complement and strengthen the President's first 100 days agenda,” explains Ms. Borrelli.
For her, the First Lady is "very important" for contact with the public. But Donald Trump wants to keep in touch with the popular electorate who elected him, and “not involving Melania in due time could harm his support”.
But even if Melania continued to keep a low profile, it wouldn't necessarily do Donald Trump a disservice and could even help modernize the function, Jellison said.
“It might limit expectations for the next woman,” she says. "She won't feel like she has to be the perfect wife or mother."
