President Donald Trump reassured Melania Trump ‘people love you … honey’ after he tore into the ‘fake news’ in a twitter rant defending his wife and accused the media of covering up the first lady’s recovery along with promoting ‘vicious’ rumors about her.
Melania Trump made her second public appearance since her kidney surgery Wednesday afternoon when she joined the president at a briefing on hurricane preparedness at FEMA.
The president, reading from a note card, introduced ‘our great First Lady’ at the briefing and said: ‘She went through a little rough patch but she’s doing great.’
The room applauded the first lady at his words.
‘The people love you … thank you, honey,’ he added.
The first lady sat next to the president during the briefing. Reports from in the room said she looked well and health.
Melania Trump appears with President Donald Trump at a hurricane response briefing; her second public appearance since her surgery
President Trump reassured his wife that people love you
The first lady wore a trench coat and her signature stiletto heels to the hurricane briefing
People attending the meeting applauded for Melania Trump when President Trump welcomed her
Reports from in the room said the first lady looked healthy and well
She wore a tan trench coat and ‘hurricane heels’ as her stilettos were named when she wore a pair in route to Texas to survey damage from Hurricane Harvey. Melania Trump typically wears high heels and is rarely seen in flats or sneakers.
She did not speak at the briefing when reporters were present in the room.
She sat quietly during the president’s remarks, looking at him as he spoke and also around the table as Trump called out members of his cabinet, for acknowledgement and accolades.
It was also her second public appearance this week. She attended a White House reception for Gold Star families on Monday night, which marked her 25th day she had not been seen in public since the White House announced she underwent a kidney procedure.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump fired off an attack about the questions that arose from her long stay outside the public eye.
Trump wrote that the press reported ‘everything’ from that his wife was ‘near death’ to having ‘left’ the White House or had a facelift. He also claimed, without providing any specifics or explanation, that the press had reported she had left him or been abused.
‘The Fake News Media has been so unfair, and vicious, to my wife and our great First Lady, Melania. During her recovery from surgery they reported everything from near death, to facelift, to left the W.H. (and me) for N.Y. or Virginia, to abuse. All Fake, she is doing really well!’ Trump wrote.
Melania Trump at the Gold Star event at White House on Monday, her first public appearance since her surgery
Trump blasted the media and even claimed there were reports his wife had left him or been abused
The president also launched a conspiracy theory that the press had covered up his wife’s presence at the White House
A CNBC reported tweeted about seeing the first lady
The first lady tweeted a shot at the media, using language that had echoes of phrases her husband sometimes employs
Then further he claimed the press had covered up her presence at the White House.
‘Four reporters spotted Melania in the White House last week walking merrily along to a meeting. They never reported the sighting because it would hurt the sick narrative that she was living in a different part of the world, was really ill, or whatever. Fake News is really bad!’
At least one reporter, from CNBC, tweeted out a Melania sighting, which DailyMail.com and other publications tracking her disappearance from public view reported.
The first lady made her first public post-surgery appearance Monday night at an event closed to the press honoring Gold Star families. DailyMail.com ran images obtained from inside the closed event.
She did not attend the flag-waving ‘Celebration of America’ event on Tuesday afternoon.
The president may not be distinguishing between media reports and the rolling conversation that takes place every day on Twitter.
One user, Victoria Brownworth, who has identified herself as a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and lesbian activist, wrote last week: ‘I want to know where #MelaniaTrump is because Trump has beaten his other wives and sexually assaulted his first wife and a couple dozen women.’
She also wrote: ‘Has Trump assaulted Melania and she is still recovering? Is THAT what caused her kidneys to bleed? Because kidneys don’t bleed easily,’ she wrote.
Lyz Lenz, the editor of an essay site called the rumpus, wrote: ‘Can everyone calm down. Melania probably just got plastic surgery. It’s fine.’ She added over the weekend: ‘Also I’m not surgery shaming, I’d 10/10 get Botox and a neck lift. But what I am saying is stop trying to weave a narrative that makes Melania a victim in a situation where she is complicit.’
Trump himself has used Twitter to float a facelift conspiracy to needle a rival.
He wrote last year during a feud with MSNBC cohost Mika Brzezinsk- and Joe Scarborough: ‘I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don’t watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came … to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year’s Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!’
PREDICTION: ‘The Fake News Media has been so unfair, and vicious, to my wife and our great First Lady, Melania,’ wrote Trump
HAVING WORK DONE: ‘The Fake News Media has been so unfair, and vicious, to my wife and our great First Lady, Melania,’ wrote President Trump
NOT THAT THERE’S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT: ‘The Fake News Media has been so unfair, and vicious, to my wife and our great First Lady, Melania,’ wrote President Trump
A reporter and activist brought up a rape accusation leveled by Trump’s former wife Ivana Trump in a deposition, who later withdrew the claim in a statement printed in a book about Trump
‘The Fake News Media has been so unfair, and vicious, to my wife and our great First Lady, Melania,’ wrote President Trump
‘The Fake News Media has been so unfair, and vicious, to my wife and our great First Lady, Melania,’ wrote President Trump
The first lady visited several parts of the United States that were devastated by hurricanes last year.
In her August 2017 visit to Houston, which was damaged by Hurricane Harvey, the first lady was criticized for wearing stilettos heels as she left the White House to head south.
By the time Air Force One landed in Texas, she was wearing sneakers and a black baseball cap that read ‘FLOTUS.’
She also joined the president in his October visit to Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria, and once again wore ‘hurricane heels’ to board Air Force One but was in yellow hiking boots by the time she deplaned.
But her September visit to Florida, suffering in the wake of Hurricane Irma, found her in sneakers.
Additionally, Melania Trump filmed a public service announcement that called called on Americans to continue assisting relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.
‘The president and I have witnessed firsthand the compassion and commitment of Americans as friends, neighbors, and strangers continue to volunteer time and money to help one another following the recent hurricanes,’ she said. ‘Your help is still needed.’
At the event at the White House on Monday, Melania Trump appeared well as she was videoed walking in.
She was wearing a black dress and six-inch black heels, several attendees told the DailyMail.com.
Relaxed: The First Lady looked stylish in black as she sat next to husband Donald
Solemn: The First Lady had not been seen in nearly a month before the ceremony and she said she was honored to pay tribute to the fallen heroes
Last appearance: This picture on the South Lawn of the White House taken on May 10 is the last time before Monday night that the First Lady was seen in public
Melania stayed for the whole ceremony, which was nearly an hour long. She didn’t speak but sat in the front row as the president spoke, attendees said.
Diana Pike of Phoenix, Ariz., said the first lady looked ‘beautiful’ and as ‘put together as she always does.’ And that she wore ‘crazy high black heels.’
Nancy Wilson said the first lady spoke to families in the room.
In a statement Monday night, Melania said it was a ‘privilege’ to welcome the families to the White House.
Melania Trump did accompany President Trump to a G7 meeting in May of last year in Italy, where they attended a performance by La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra
‘It was a privilege to welcome Gold Star Families to the White House today to recognize our Nation’s fallen heroes and their families. To all those who have lost loved ones in service to our country, our nation grieves with you,’ she said.
‘Thank you to those who joined us this evening and to the men and women currently serving overseas and to their families, thank you for your service. We send our prayers to all of those in harms way, and may God bless the United States of America.’
Speculation has been rife about the whereabouts of Mrs. Trump ever since she went in for an operation on her kidney on May 14.
Laughing off the rumors that have spread around Washington like wildfire, Trump refuted speculation the couple have split, saying it was a no-go, ‘Isn’t that right, honey?’
According to Daily Caller reporter Jena Greene who was in attendance as a Gold Star daughter, Trump also spoke about his wife’s surgery and said Melania ‘had a little problem’ a few weeks ago, but ‘wouldn’t miss’ this event ‘for anything’.
The event honored military families. Gold Star families are those who have lost a loved one in a war. The White House held a similar reception last year.
Roberta Lyons Nolan, of Pennsylvania, said it was a ‘very emotional’ ceremony where the names of the deceased were read and a candle was lit for each one.
It’s unknown when her next appearance will be after her attendance at Wednesday’s hurricane briefing.
The first lady will not accompany President Donald Trump to the G7 summit in Canada on Friday or to his historic summit in Singapore on June 12.
She will not attend either of the prominent international events, Grisham told the DailyMail.com.
‘She will not attend the G7 and there are no plans for her to travel to Singapore at this time,’ Grisham said in a statement on Sunday evening.
Spouses often accompany leaders to G7 meetings. But Melania will not make the trip to Quebec on Friday, where President Trump is expected to get grief for his new tariff policy.
A year ago Melania joined her husband in Taormina, Italy, for a G7 meeting where she famously wore a $51,000 Dolce & Gabbana jacket. She participated in public appearances with the spouses of other G7 leaders, including a formal dinner and taking in a performance by La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra at the Ancient Theatre of Taormina.
She will also not attend the historic summit with South Korean President Kim Jung-Un in Singapore on June 12 where the president hopes to sign a nuclear disarmament deal.
The first lady has gone on other prominent international trips. She joined the president in Asia in November of last year and accompanied him to France in April of this year.
She also made a solo trip to Canada in September of last year to to lead the U.S. delegation to the Invictus Games, where she met with Prince Harry.
Before Monday evening, Melania Trump was last seen in public on May 10, when she joined her husband to welcome the return of three Americans who were being held captive in North Korea.
The first lady underwent an embolization procedure on Monday, May 14, likely to remove a cyst from her kidney. Her office said it was benign, or non-cancerous.
She spent a week in the hospital recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
She returned to the White House on Saturday, May 19. Some medical professionals said the five-day hospitalization was long for such a procedure.
In a May 30 tweet, the first lady needled the media for speculating about her whereabouts.
Melania joined her husband in Taormina, Italy, for a G7 meeting where she participated in public appearances with the spouses of other G7 leaders including Joachim Sauer, husband of German Chancellor Angela Merkel; Malgorzata Tusk, wife of President of the European Council; Melania; Amanda Succi, wife of Catania’s mayor; Enzo Bianco, Mayor of Catania
Melania joined her husband in Taormina, Italy, for a G7 meeting in May 2017 where she famously wore a $51,000 Dolce & Gabbana jacket
‘I see the media is working overtime speculating where I am & what I’m doing. Rest assured, I’m here at the @WhiteHouse w my family, feeling great, & working hard on behalf of children & the American people!’
However, the tweet only brought more questions, as President Trump has been known to use phrases like ‘working overtime’ in his own tweets.
The White House has swatted down some conspiracy theories that have popped up – including one that held she wasn’t even in the White House.
The blog Showbiz411 quoted a source as saying the reason the first lady hasn’t been seen in public in 21 days is because her mother, Amalija Knavs, is very ill.
A source told the gossip website: ‘She’s taking care of her mother,’ who is battling a pretty serious illness.
‘They’re all at Bedminster,’ the source said. ‘Melania, her parents, Barron when he’s not in school. She’s (Melania) not in the White House.’
However, the first lady’s office knocked down the report as ‘false.’
‘Everything about that blog is false and incorrect,’ her communications director Stephanie Grisham told the Dailymail.com.
Viktor and Amalija Knavs moved to the Washington DC area after Trump won the election to help care for their grandson, 12-year-old Barron Trump, who is in a local school.
They are legal permanent residents of the United States and often travel with the Trumps.
Grisham told the DailyMail.com last week that the first lady has been meeting with her staff on the ‘Be Best’ initiative and working on upcoming projects like the annual White House congressional picnic and Fourth of July plans.
But the lack of photos of her at work led to multiple conspiracy theories.
Politico reported Wednesday there are a variety of theories being bandied about: She’s moved back to New York City, she’s cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller, she’s living with the Obamas, working on a tell-all book or she had a secret nip and tuck that she’s healing from.