Melania Trump's rare appearance on Capitol Hill on 15 April has prompted fresh questions over whether the First Lady is being drawn into a political damage-control effort as pressure mounts on Donald Trump. Her participation in a bipartisan foster care roundtable quickly became a talking point among Fox News viewers and conservative commentators, some of whom argued the timing was far from accidental.
Melania has kept a relatively low profile during her husband's presidency, appearing only occasionally at carefully staged public events. Her sudden return to centre stage came at a politically fraught moment, with Donald Trump facing backlash over Iran and renewed scrutiny of his administration.
