Melania Trump is not expected to attend the traditional White House meeting with first lady Dr. Jill Biden, sources familiar with her plans said. This decision underscores Melania Trump's long-held willingness to buck tradition as she prepares to retake the high-profile role of first lady, despite being unelected.
The sources mentioned a prior scheduling conflict for Trump related to her book, although one source indicated that the decision had not been finalized. Last week, Dr. Jill Biden extended the customary invitation to Melania Trump, mirroring her husband's invitation to the president-elect to the Oval Office. This gesture symbolizes a peaceful transition of power and serves as an implicit rebuke of Trump, who had denied Biden a similar meeting in 2020 while contesting the election results.
There were discussions within Trump's team about encouraging Melania Trump to attend the meeting in Washington, as some members felt it was important for her to do so. However, Melania Trump, known for redefining the role and expectations during her first four years in office, is signaling early on that she will maintain even more autonomy in her second term as first lady.
