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Home / World

Where is First Lady Melania Trump hiding?

By Andrew Backhouse
news.com.au·
8 Jan, 2021 07:43 PM7 mins to read

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The US President's video message focused heavily on the religious significance of Christmas to Christians before first lady Melania Trump addressed the pandemic. Video / Donald Trump via Twitter

Melania Trump hasn't been seen since New Year's Eve.

She hasn't tweeted since January 2 and hasn't posted on Instagram since Christmas.

She was absent from the Trump clan's controversial celebratory party prior to the violent storming of the Capitol by pro-Trumpists.

Last seen returning to the White House via helicopter on New Year's Eve after spending the holiday season in Florida, Melania Trump briefly waved and then vanished inside.

Violent protesters, loyal to President Donald Trump, stormed the Capitol earlier this week. Photo / AP
Violent protesters, loyal to President Donald Trump, stormed the Capitol earlier this week. Photo / AP
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But since Wednesday's insurrectionist events marked the last days of the Trump era and his aides and cabinet starting fleeing the White House like rats deserting his sunk presidency, there has been no sign of her.

So where the hell is the First Lady of the United States?

Wishing everyone a #HappyNewYear! May 2021 be filled with the blessings of joy, good health & peace throughout the year!

— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) January 1, 2021

On Twitter, users were tweeting about her, some even respectfully.

However most were speculating about when she was going to get the divorce, now Donald's presidency thing was done and dusted.

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Saturday Night Live's Lauren Howard Hayes, one of several Melania Trump impersonators parodied Thursday's resignation by the First Lady's chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham.

The mocking video summed up some of Mrs Trump's most memorable moments as First Lady.

In the video, the Grisham character tells FLOTUS "it's been an honour to be complicit with you, it was an honour to plagiarise Michelle Obama's speech on your behalf.

"It was an honour to co-create 'Be Best', one of the most vague and ironic platforms a First Lady has ever come up with."

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While Mrs Trump may have just slipped quietly out of Washington with her son Barron to wait out the frightful end days in the Trumps' Mar-a-Lago mansion, she must be contemplating the future.

Apart from the oft mentioned supposedly looming divorce from the President, there is talk of two different book deals.

Last month, the New York Post's Page Six reported Mrs Trump was in talks regarding a memoir book deal worth "big money", while another rumour was about a coffee-table book on her White House style.

Ex-White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman has claimed Mrs Trump was "counting every minute until he is out of office and she can divorce", but others have said she simply "wants to go home".

Hello everybody! Im asking again where is @FLOTUS

— lanietadelacarmen (@marianoel) January 7, 2021

That could mean returning to New York, especially if the divorce speculation is true, with Mr Trump expected to hole up down in Florida, one state which overwhelmingly voted for him.

Mrs Trump's current invisibility could also have something to do with a recent humiliating campaign on Twitter which arose as a result of her husband's bungled attempt to champion her via an attack on the media.

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On Christmas Day when they were down in Palm Beach, Mr Trump retweeted a Breitbart post that said "elitist snobs in the fashion press" were snubbing the "most elegant First Lady in American history."

Mr Trump wrote that the First Lady was "the greatest of all time" and labelled the magazines "Fake News".

This prompted the Twitter hashtag #WorstFlotusEver and Twitter users swung into action tweeting the poorer moments of the Mrs Trump's time in the White House and mocking her achievements.

One woman dubbed her a "Stepford Wife", a reference to the science fiction book and movie about submissive robot wives.

Regarding the news from the White House lately, I'm reminded of that pithy phrase from the great 21-century philosopher, Melania Trump:
“I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?”#TrumpIsTheVirus
If you don't care about your husband putting children in cages, then why should we care about U? pic.twitter.com/XSbTAOxc1V

— Alan Grayson (@AlanGrayson) October 4, 2020

Some Twitter posters alluded to the conspiracy theory that Trump had a Melania body double which he used when she didn't feel like appearing in public with him.

Latricia Cooke tweeted on January 1: "Melania may never surface again.

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"He feels the need to make everything look GREAT is the reason for a stand in!

"Sad case Disappointed face for THE ULTIMATE LIAR and the need to create a false image."

Twitter user @LauraPhillips25 castigated Mrs Trump in series of hashtags, describing her as spoiled, phony, vapid, uncaring, elitist and cold.

On January 1, the First Lady tweeted, "As 2020 ends, we remember the loved ones lost & give thanks to our leaders, frontline workers & others who have come together to fight the global pandemic.

Nope. Sunglasses is the giveaway but holding trump’s hand is the other. Also, where is Baron? Are we to believe they went to Florida for Christmas without their son? Melania left for the holidays and Trump needs to keep up appearances. Prob why he cancelled New Year’s Eve Party. https://t.co/DDgq9Yy66h

— Betsy N. (@btsy7) January 1, 2021

"The resilience of our country is strong. I send my best wishes for a #New year full of health & peace."

Perhaps in response to that or to her pinned tweet, which is a COVID-19 message from last year about staying safe and us being in it together, Twitter posters reacted in outrage.

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One user posted: "Replying to @FLOTUS. Yes, thank you to front line health care workers that you have overburdened with your maskless parties #WorstPresidentEver #worstflotusever".

Several Twitter users posted the image of the controversial jacket Mrs Trump wore while travelling to meet children in Texas separated from their families as a result of husband's policies, which had the message scrawled on the back, "I really don't care, Do U?"

Autumn Rain tweeted, "Here's a great cover shot for you Donald. Michelle Obama actually did good things for the people.

Melania Trump was last seen publicly when she and US President Donald Trump returned from Florida, but hasn't been sighted since the Capitol riot. Photo / AP
Melania Trump was last seen publicly when she and US President Donald Trump returned from Florida, but hasn't been sighted since the Capitol riot. Photo / AP

"Your wife.......not so much. Just a good poser. And BTW, YOU'RE FIRED. #worstflotusever".

Alan Grayson tweeted the image back in October, writing "Regarding the news from the White House lately, I'm reminded of that pithy phrase from the great 21-century philosopher, Melania Trump: 'I REALLY DON'T CARE, DO U?'. #TrumpIsTheVirus

"If you don't care about your husband putting children in cages, then why should we care about U?"

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We haven’t heard a word from the First Lady.

— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) January 8, 2021

On January 1, Lori Campbell tweeted "You don't care about our lost like you didn't care about kids in cages. 20 days pack your bags #WorstFlotusEver."

Often criticised for being stony-faced, Mrs Trump has worn a beaming smile in the few appearances she has made since her husband lost the election.

This has fuelled rumours she's quietly thrilled about leaving the White House long behind and resuming her former lifestyle out of the spotlight.

A CNN report claimed the First Lady had recently sorted through her personal belongings marking them for the New York residence in Trump Tower or for Mar-a-Lago.

Sources also say she has also been inquiring about taxpayer funds allocated to former First Ladies.

Under the rules for former presidents, the possibility of impeachment or prison notwithstanding, Mr Trump will receive lifetime secret service protection, $1m a year in expenses and a funeral with full honours at Arlington National Cemetery.

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As former First Lady, Mrs Trump can receive up to $500,000 annually.

US divorce lawyer Jacqueline Newman, managing partner of Berkman Bottger Newman & Rodd, told Town and Country Mrs Trump could expect to receive a divorce settlement of as much as $US50 million ($NZ69 million).

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