Melania Trump to appear on CNN coronavirus town hall Thursday night

Melania Trump will appear on CNN’s weekly global town hall, “Coronavirus: Facts and Fears,” on Thursday night, marking the first time the first lady has appeared on the cable news network since President Trump took office.

“Her remarks, which will be pre-recorded, are the first solo broadcast message from [Melania] Trump since the onset of the pandemic,” CNN said in an announcement.

“It is anticipated she will specifically address the nation’s students, most of whom have had their academic lives altered by stay-at-home orders and other precautionary health measures,” according to CNN.

The network’s weekly town hall on the pandemic, which debuted in March, is hosted by “AC360” anchor Anderson Cooper and CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The series has featured a wide range of guests, including former Vice President Al Gore, filmmaker Spike Lee and teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg.

CNN noted that Melania Trump has traveled outside the White House once since March 10, to give remarks at a National Parent Teacher Association event in nearby Alexandria, Va.

President Trump, who often criticizes CNN in dubbing it “fake news,” has not appeared on the network since taking office. His last interview on the network was in August 2016 on Cooper’s prime-time program.

On a call with governors obtained by CNN discussing COVID-19 response, President Trump praised the first lady as a “great representative” of the country, adding that she’s done “a fantastic job.”