OPINION | This article contains the author's opinion.
Melania Trump has been noticeably absent from her husband Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.
Her former chief of staff Stephanie Grisham said Melania does not feel the need to “stand by” Trump as Jill Biden does with her husband.
Sources say Melania is “very selective” about campaign events and aware they could have consequences.
“Melania has said, ‘I don’t need to stand by Donald like Jill Biden; it is like she’s holding Joe Biden up,'” Grisham said, adding, “[Melania] is very much not going to do the Hillary Clinton ‘stand by your man’ thing.”
“She’ll definitely have a role, but in terms of what that is, I don’t know. It is her decision on how much or how little she will be campaigning,” one source said.
“She is very selective and methodical in what she wants to do and how she presents herself,” another source said. “She is very decisive with these things and knows they have a lot of intended and unintended consequences.”
“Melania wants nothing to do with the White House or Donald, apparently. She showed up at one dinner in the past several months,” another said.
Another added, “[Melania] wants Biden to win more than anyone. She would have to act like she is Trump’s wife again, and she can’t stand him. She doesn’t want to be forced to be in the same house as him most of the time.”
When asked if she would play a bigger role, Melania cryptically replied “stay tuned,” which her former aide Stephanie Wolkoff interpreted as meaning “don’t hold your breath.”
Melania is said to be more focused on supporting her son Barron as he finishes high school.
“Melania Trump was NOT at Donald’s victory party because she did NOT have to be. His supporters do NOT care if she is by his side or NOT, so now she does NOT have to be. Nothing more, NOThing less,” said Wolkoff.
While her level of involvement in the campaign remains unclear, Melania appears intent on avoiding being seen as simply standing by Trump’s side.