Melania Trump refuses to campaign with her husband and may not return to Washington if Donald Trump wins the election.
Author Katie Rogers, who has written a new book about first ladies, told Politico:
Knowing what I know and what my reporting shows about Melania Trump, she enjoys being first lady. But from my reports it doesn’t appear that she likes campaigning. My report does not show that she enjoys defending her husband, as she has been called upon to do numerous times. And my reports do not indicate that you have any interest in returning to Washington full time.
So, I guess overall, if Trump wins, we might expect a first lady who accepts the role, but maybe, because she was such a revolutionary figure, she takes her time coming to Washington, goes back and forth – that it seems possible.
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Donald Trump was an absentee president during his first term, and if he wins a second term, his wife could be an absentee first lady.
There’s all this news about how Melania Trump likes being first lady, but apparently doesn’t want to do any of the jobs that come with being first lady.
First spouse is not an official administrative position. It does not come with legal authority or salary. The country does not necessarily have to have a first lady, but the president and the first family tend to set a cultural tone and serve as an example for the nation.
Melania Trump, like her husband, appears to have no interest in doing and giving to others. The former first lady doesn’t even ride in the same car as her husband, so it’s no surprise that she doesn’t want to live with him in the White House either.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a member of the White House press pool and a congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
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