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Melania Trump was greeted with rapturous applause as she made her entrance on the final night of the Republican National Convention, and offered her husband a brief peck on the cheek as he concluded his mammoth acceptance speech.
The former first lady was pictured standing behind Trump as he signed paperwork to accept his third nomination for the GOP presidential candidate on Thursday, alongside his newly selected running mate for 2024, JD Vance.
Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, stood with Melania, as well as the president’s daughter Ivanka, and son Eric. The former first lady was not mentioned on the list of speakers at the RNC for Thursday, but later made her official entrance to the convention floor to lilting classical music.
Wearing a red suit, Melania smiled and waved to supporters, before joining her husband and Vance in the box as the appplause continued.
In his acceptance speech – the longest in RNC history – Trump directed crowds towards Melania, saying: “On this journey, I am deeply honored to be joined by my amazing wife, Melania.” To cheers, he continued: “Melania, thank you very much. You also did something really beautiful, a letter to America, calling for national unity.”
As he concluded his remarks after almost two hours, the former first lady returned to the stage to join her husband offering him a small kiss on the cheek. The pair held hands as they were joined by members of the Trump family as thousands of red, white and blue balloons fell.
In his speech former president thanked his entire family: “Don, Kimberly, Ivanka and Jared, Eric and Lara, Tiffany and Michael, Barron, we love our Barron.” Barron did not appear to be in the box alongside his other family members, nor on the stage later.
The 18-year-old recently made his entrance onto the political scene at a rally at Trump’s Doral golf resort in Miami, Florida. Echoing his father’s showmanship the teenager waved to crowds and pumped his fists, prompting Trump to joke that he was “more popular” than his other sons.
Back in Milwaukee, Trump paid tribute to his 10 “wonderful” grandchildren. “You saw a few of them up there on my lap before,” he said.
Speculation about Melania’s whereabouts have swirled for days as other members of the Trump familywere pictured on the convention floor, and in the box with the former president
The former president was also pictured dancing alongside his young grandchildren Spencer and Chloe, the children of Don Jr. He also spent time with Luke and Carolina – the children of Lara and Eric Trump.
Melania’s entrance in Milwaukee marks her first major political appearance with Trump since he announced his 2024 campaign almost two years ago.
Sources told Politico that the former first lady was deeply shaken by the shocking assassination attempt.
Shortly following the incident on Saturday during a campaign rally in Butler Pennsylvania, she released a statement in which she described the would-be assassin as a “monster.”
“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 wrote.
“To the families of the innocent victims who are now suffering from this heinous act, I humbly offer my sincerest sympathy. Your need to summon your inner strength for such a terrible reason saddens me.
“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. The core facets of my husband's life — his human side — were buried below the political machine. Donald, the generous and caring man who I have been with through the best of times and the worst of times.”
Melania has not remained completely out of politics, having headlined two fundraisers for the Log Cabin Republicans, a pro-LGBTQ+ rights Republican organization in spring.
Both were held at Trump properties — Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower — and were closed to the press. However, Melania has not held any public campaign events or accompanied Trump at events out on the trail beyond a few private fundraisers and voting in Florida’s primary.
Donald Jr, his fianceé Kimberly Guilfoyle, and now Eric Trump have all made speeches to supporters of the former president in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
