Melania Trump expected to make appearance at Republican convention

Former first lady Melania Trump is expected to attend next week’s Republican convention, though it remains to be seen whether she will deliver remarks there.

A source familiar with the matter confirmed the former first lady will be in attendance for the Milwaukee, Wis., gathering where her husband, former President Trump, will accept the party’s nomination. Her exact role in the proceedings has not been finalized.

CNN first reported on Melania Trump’s plans to attend.

Melania Trump delivered remarks at the 2016 GOP convention, which later drew scrutiny for similarities to a Michelle Obama speech, and she spoke again at the 2020 convention.

The former first lady has mostly been absent from her husband’s 2024 White House bid.

She appeared at Trump’s campaign launch in 2022, but she has not joined him at any of his campaign rallies; she did not appear on stage with him following victories in the Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire primary or Super Tuesday primaries; and she did not attend the first debate between Trump and President Biden.

Melania Trump was also absent throughout the former president’s trial in New York City, where he was eventually found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a hush money scheme during the 2016 campaign.

The first lady hosted a fundraiser for the LGBTQ group Log Cabin Republicans at Mar-a-Lago in Florida in April, hosted another fundraiser for the group in New York City this week, and she appeared alongside Trump in March when the two cast their ballots in the Florida primary.