Melania Trump, in a bright red skirt suit, made a dramatic entrance into the Republican National Convention on Thursday night, walking into the arena to cheers and the music from Beethoven’s symphony no. 9.
She was introduced to the roaring crowd as the future first lady. She walked into the Trump family box to take a seat by J.D. Vance, her husband’s vice presidential nominee.
But Donald Trump had already exited the box to prepare to address the delegates. Despite her distain for politics, Melania seemed happy to be at the convention, smiling and waving to the delegates.
The Trumps were together earlier in the evening, however, when Melania, wearing Dior, watched Donald sign the paperwork for him to become the Republican presidential nominee.
She then stayed behind the scenes until shortly before Donald was scheduled to speak. The former first lady did not join the rest of the Trump family in walking out into the convention hall.
Ivanka Trump, Don Jr., and Tiffany were all with their father in the main box in the convention hall. They listened and cheered with the crowd while Hulk Hogan and Eric Trump fired up the delegates.
The former president was surrounded by his children and grandchildren as he prepared to address the convention, which marks his formal acceptance of the nomination. But Melania, who has rarely appeared on the campaign trail, waited until the last moments before his remarks to join the family.
Former first lady Melania Trump arrives to take her seat by J.D. Vance and other members of the Trump family
Melania Trump waves as she walks up to the Trump family box at the Republican National Convention
Melania sat quietly when her husband spoke, listening as he described the assassination attempt that nearly took his life. She smiled when he made little jokes but stared at her husband intently as he recounted the horrific event.
He paid tribute to her during his remarks, calling her ‘my amazing wife Melania.’ She stood and waved as the crowd gave her a standing ovation.
‘Melania thank you very much. You also did something very beautiful. A letter to America calling for national unity,’ he said.
Melania did not address the delegates on Thursday night, despite being offered the chance to do so.
She did speak to delegates at the 2016 and 2020 conventions but, this election year, she has stayed in the shadows while her husband runs for a second term.
Thursday was also Ivanka Trump’s first night at the convention and also marked a rare political appearance. The former first daughter is there in her ‘personal capacity’ to support her father, sources close to her said.
She has stayed away from politics since her father decided to run for a second term, despite previously being involved in his campaigns and his administration.
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Her brothers have stayed active. Both Don Jr. – who addressed the convention on Wednesday – and Eric have been surrogates on the campaign trail. Eric’s wife Lara joined the Republican National Committee to help run the former president’s re-election effort.
The family has gathered around its patriarch since an assassin attempted to kill him on July 13th.
Melania Trump, who rarely makes public statements, spoke to the horror when she realized her and son Barron’s life were on the brink of ‘devastating change’ after the hearing the news about her husband’s assassination attempt.
The former first lady called the gunman a ‘monster’ and described the moment she watched the bullet strike her husband’s ear at a Pennsylvania rally in front of thousands of his adoring fans.
‘A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion – his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration,’ Melania said in an emotional statement on X on Sunday morning.
‘When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband.’
Melania Trump joins Donald Trump as he signs the paperwork to be the Republican nominee
Melania Trump did not address the convention but did smile and wave to the crowd
Melania Trump with (to her left) Usha and J.D. Vance and the rest of the Trump family: Eric and Don Jr to her right; and, in second row, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Lara Trump, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, and Tiffany Trump
She called for people to ‘reunite’ and said she is thinking of her fellow Americans.
‘This morning, ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence,’ her statement continued.
‘The winds of change have arrived. For those of you who cry in support, I thank you. I commend those of you who have reached out beyond the political divide – thank you for remembering that every single politician is a man or a woman with a loving family.’
There was no sign of Barron Trump on Thursday, the last night of the Republican National Convention.
Donald Trump mentioned his youngest son during his remarks but Barron was not seated in the family’s box.
Barron attended his first political rally in early July, the week before the assassination attempt on his father. There he stood up and waved to the crowd, garnering massive cheers his father’s faithful.
The 18-year-old graduated from high school in May and is expected to attend college in the fall.
His graduation was the last time Donald and Melania Trump were seen in public together.
Earlier this summer, Barron Trump declined Florida’s offer to be a delegate to the Republican National Convention this summer.
A week after the state announced the 18-year-old would represent it at Donald Trump’s nomination, Melania Trump’s office announced Barron had ‘prior commitments.’
‘While Barron is honored to have been chosen as a delegate by the Florida Republican Party, he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments,’ the Office of Melania Trump said.
No further details were given.
Former President Donald Trump, Lara Trump, Eric Luke Trump, and Carolina Dorothy Trump watch Eric Trump address the convention
As Usha Chilukuri Vance, Ivanka Trump former first lady Melania Trump and Eric Trump watch, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, sign paperwork to officially accept the nomination
Jared Kushner, former White House senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, former White House senior adviser, Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos, attend the final day of the Republican National Convention
Melania Trump makes her dramatic entrance into the convention
Meanwhile, Melania Trump has appeared publicly with her husband for campaign events just three times: his campaign kickoff in November 2022 at their Mar-a-Lago home, in March when she accompanied her husband to vote in the Florida presidential primary, and in April when she appeared at his side at a high-dollar fundraiser in Palm Beach.
In March, as she walked into the polling place, Melania was asked then if she would join the former president on the campaign trail.
Her response: ‘Stay tuned.’
Melania Trump notably skipped the first presidential debate in Atlanta. Trump walked off the stage alone while Joe Biden was accompanied by Jill Biden.
But she did host two fundraisers for Log Cabin Republicans, the largest conservative LGBTQ+ organization: one at Mar-a-Lago and one at the Trumps’ Trump Tower home in New York.