When former first lady Melania Trump appeared on stage to congratulate her husband, former President Trump, in the final moments of the Republican National Convention, he greeted her with a look of surprise.
The former president leaned back and spread his arms in a gesture of shock, then returned his wife’s embrace.
Melania Trump has been largely absent from the campaign trail, not even appearing at last month’s debate between her husband and President Biden in Atlanta, and has barely been seen or heard from since Biden launched his third presidential campaign last year.
So the former first lady’s appearance at the Republican National Convention on Thursday was highly anticipated and one of the most watched moments of the night. And when she finally showed up in a dress that matched her husband’s trademark red tie, she was greeted like a celebrity.
“It was obviously symbolic and historic that Melania Trump showed up in that red outfit last night. Her presence was just incredible to watch,” Wisconsin Delegate Alternate Amber Schroeder told The Hill.
“I was with the South Carolina delegation and we were so excited to meet her. Alaska is right in front of us and Washington is next door, and we all had the same reaction,” said delegate Susan Akin.
For weeks, it was unclear whether Melania Trump would attend. It wasn’t until the third day of the convention that her son-in-law, Eric Trump, confirmed that she would be at the convention site for the final day.
While unusual for the campaign, her absence from the party’s convention is historically unusual.
“Taking lots of photos of the first lady is just one of the central rituals of the nominating convention,” Dr. Katherine Jellison, a historian of first ladies, told The Hill, “so this is an unusual move by Mrs. Trump.”
For most candidates, an extended spousal absence would be detrimental to the campaign’s image, but for the Trumps, the behavior is accepted as normal.
“People have become accustomed to the Trumps going their own way and not following what we call the normal rules of a political couple,” Jellison explained.
And while she may not be making many public appearances, the rest of the Trump family has supported the former president.
President Trump’s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., took to the stage at the Republican National Convention, as did their respective partners, Lara Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle. Donald Trump Jr.’s 17-year-old daughter, Kai Trump, also took the stage and portrayed the former president as a regular grandpa who would sneak her candy and call to ask about her grades.
“They’ve been gracious. I’ve met many of his family members this week in the city of Milwaukee,” Schroeder told The Hill.
“It was truly incredible to see Donald Trump during such a historic moment with his grandchildren sitting on his lap, behaving not just as the president of the United States but as a grandfather and a regular human being,” she added.
“I’m a grandmother, so I know what it’s like to have grandchildren, and I can tell when it’s real, and I thought what Kai said about her grandfather was heartfelt,” Aiken said.
Convention attendees were aware that the former first lady had been absent for much of the week, but sympathized with her decision in light of the assassination attempt on her husband last week.
“I think after the assassination attempt, everything has to be reevaluated, so I don’t blame her at all if she didn’t appear in court with him,” Aiken said.
“Someone was trying to kill her husband,” Schroeder said. “I can tell you one thing: if my husband, or any man I love, had been shot in the ear and was dying, it would take a lot of strength for me to get there.”
