Melania Trump takes RNC floor in rare appearance alongside family for his nomination speech
Melania Trump was greeted with rapturous applause as she made her entrance on the final night of the Republican National Convention, as her husband prepared to make his first official speech after accepting the GOP nomination for presidential candidate.
The former first lady was pictured standing behind Trump as he signed paperwork to accept nomination on Thursday, alongside his newly selected running mate for 2024 – JD Vance.
Usha Vance was also pictured stood with Melania, as well as the president’s daughter Ivanka, and son Eric. The former first lady was not mentioned on the list of speakers at the RNC for Thursday, but later made her official entrance to the convention floor.
Wearing a red suit, Melania smiled and waved to supporters, before joing her husband and Vance in the box as the appplause continued.
Speculation about Melania’s whereabouts have swirled for days, and she has yet to be pictured at the convention which has been running since Monday. Other members of the Trump family have been pictured on the convention floor, and in the box with their father.
The former president was later pictured dancing alongside his young grandchildren Spencer and Chloe, the children of Donald Jr. He also spent time with Luke and Carolina – the children of Lara and Eric Trump.
Melania’s entrance in Milwaukee marks her first major political appearance with Trump since he announced his 2024 campaign almost two years ago.
Sources told Politico that the former first lady, who is a deeply private person, was deeply shaken by the shocking assassination attempt.
Shortly following the incident on Saturday during a campaign rally in Butler Pennsylvania, she released a statement in which she described would-be-assassin as a “monster.”
“When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband,” Melania wrote.
“To the families of the innocent victims who are now suffering from this heinous act, I humbly offer my sincerest sympathy. Your need to summon your inner strength for such a terrible reason saddens me.
“A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion – his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration. The core facets of my husband’s life — his human side — were buried below the political machine. Donald, the generous and caring man who I have been with through the best of times and the worst of times.”
Melania has not remained completely out of politics, having headlined two fundraisers for the Log Cabin Republicans, a pro-LGBTQ+ rights Republican organization last spring.
Both were held at Trump properties — Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower — and were closed to the press. However, Melania she has not held any independent public campaign events or accompanied Trump at events out on the trail beyond a few private fundraisers and voting in Florida’s primary.
Donald Jr, his fianceé Kimberly Guilfoyle, and now Eric Trump have all made speeches to supporters of the former president in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
