Melania 'Less Enthusiastic' About Trump's Campaign; 'Keen To Guard' Barron From Scandals, Says Expert
Melania Trump's absence from Donald Trump's side amid his 2024 presidential campaign may be related to their son, Barron Trump, according to a political expert.
Despite previously expressing her support for Trump's third bid for the White House, the former first lady hasn't been seen at her husband's campaign events, including his recent win in the New Hampshire Republican primary.
Grant Reeher, director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute and political science professor at Syracuse University, suggested that Melania may be distancing herself and their 17-year-old son from Donald's legal woes and scandals.
"From a distance, it seems that Melania became less enthusiastic about this role as the controversies and the scandals mounted, so I don't know how involved she'll want to be this time around," Reeher told the U.K.'s The Mirror.
Reeher also said that the former first lady may be trying to shield Barron from excessive media scrutiny.
"She may be keen to guard Barron from becoming too exposed. Once you draw on your family, they become fair game for the media and opposition research," the political expert added.
However, Trump, who has been indicted in four criminal cases and lost one civil trial over the past year, insisted during a recent interview with Fox News' Brian Kilmeade that Melania will be part of his third presidential campaign.
"She's gonna play, and she always did play a big role," the former president said, adding that he relies on Melania for "advice."
But Trump suggested that his wife would not be as active as she was during previous campaigns.
"I think she's going to be very active in the sense of being active," he told Kilmeade. "At the same time, I don't want my family to be too active because they did such a great job last time."
In May last year, Melania publicly expressed her support for her husband's re-election campaign.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, she said she hopes to work alongside Trump to restore "hope for the future" and lead "America with love and strength" during a potential second term.
"My husband achieved tremendous success in his first administration, and he can lead us toward greatness and prosperity once again," the former first lady told the outlet.
Another notable absence from Trump's side in the past several months was his daughter, Ivanka Trump, who previously served as senior White House adviser alongside her husband, Jared Kushner.
While Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have actively joined their father on the campaign trail, Ivanka has distanced herself from politics.
In a November 2022 interview with Fox News Digital, Ivanka said she wanted to prioritize her family over political involvement.
"I love my father very much. This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family," Ivanka explained.
Ivanka was recently seen partying with Kim Kardashian in Los Angeles.
