Biographer Michael Wolff said that Donald Trump and Melania Trump essentially live separately and do not have a traditional marital arrangement.
Speaking on The Daily Beast podcast, Wolff said that the two lead “separate lives,” with the first lady having spent less than two weeks in the White House since Trump began his second term.
White House spokesman Steven Cheung responded sharply, calling Wolff a “blatant idiot” and claiming that he has been “largely discredited for his blatant lies and fabrications.”
Melania’s public appearances alongside her husband have been rare, and sources for the New York Times suggest that her time in the White House has been minimal, perhaps even shorter than the estimated 14 days.
Melania has attended only a few official events, including the funeral of Pope Francis.
After the funeral, the couple returned to the United States, but left the airport separately. In a previous interview, Melania said that she would alternate visiting the White House, New York and Palm Beach.
According to sources close to the couple, Melania is reportedly very concerned about the safety of her family, especially after two assassination attempts on Trump in 2024, as well as numerous others between 2016 and 2020. Her priority, she said, was “being a mother to Barron, who is now 19, being the first lady and a wife”.
However, Paul Zampolli – the former modeling agent who introduced Melania to Trump and is the current US Special Representative for Global Partnerships – has denied rumors of an estrangement, saying he loves the White House and the role of first lady.
