Donald and Melania Trump celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary earlier this year. While they always show a united front in public, Melania has stated in the past that she and Donald donโt always agree with one another.
Now, a new report suggests that there has been a shift in the power dynamic between them, and that it has become the โtalk of the White House.โ
Melania Trump was not always onboard with the idea of her husband, Donald Trump, running for office a second time. At first, reports stated that she wasnโt interested in another term at the White House, but things changed last fall as Donald moved into the final stage of his presidential campaign.
Still, that Melania would approach her second term as First Lady in a different manner than the first four years she spent at the White House was perhaps not a big surprise.
When Melania became First Lady in 2016, many feared she wasnโt up to the challenge. In January earlier this year, the former model told Fox that people โdidnโt acceptโ her or โdidnโt understandโ her the first time, and she subsequently didnโt receive much support.
โMaybe some people they see me as just the wife of the president, but Iโm standing on my own to fit, independent. I have my own thoughts, I have my own yes and no. I donโt always agree what my husband is saying or doing, and thatโs okay,โ Melania added.
Though Melania was away from Washingtonโand the spotlightโfor quite a while following her husbandโs Inauguration, she has undertaken some public engagements. Even so, the message that things would be different this time around is clear.
CNN recently reported that by August 23 Melania had made just 19 public engagements in her second term compared to 40 after the corresponding period during her first term as First Lady.
Donald Trump and Melaniaโs relationship has always been of great interest to the media. However, while the First Lady might not have been seen a lot in public during their second tenure at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, it appears that she has plenty of influence within the White House walls. That is something that hasnโt gone unnoticed by staff.
During the recent meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Melania, without being accompanied by her husband, delivered a letter to the Russian president. In what could only be described as a โpeace letter,โ Melania urged Putin to consider the children in both Ukraine and Russia who have been affected by the Russian invasion.
โMr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter,โ Melania Trump wrote. โIn protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia aloneโyou serve humanity itself.โ
โSuch a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today,โ she added. โIt is time.โ
Donald Trump shared the letter from his wife, who has been largely praised for her efforts. While they are considered a team, Melaniaโs recent moves have become the โtalk of the White Houseโ as the power dynamic of their relationship appears to have shifted, the Daily Mail, quoting a source, reported.
โBehind closed doors, Trump has, for decades, regarded his wife as a top confidante and counsellor,โ Kellyanne Conway, his 2016 campaign manager and senior counselor, told the Daily Mail. โWhether as an international business mogul, or TV star, or leader of the free world, it is Melaniaโs opinion that he has consistently sought.โ
A second source told the Daily Mail that many within the White House have been talking about how Melania is stepping up.
โItโs certainly the talk of the White House. It makes you wonder: whatโs changed behind closed doors? Are we witnessing a breaking of ranks?โ the source told the paper.
A third source stated that Donald Trump possibly could be approaching his wife for more advice and thoughts because of his age.
โThere is a possibility that [Trump] is reaching for Melania for both emotional and physical stability,โ the source said. โThe president is getting older. His gait is not as steady.โ
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