When Donald Trump squared off in a high-stakes debate in Atlanta last week, his wife Melania wasn’t there to offer the traditional post-debate smooch. When Trump received a guilty verdict in a Manhattan fraud trial, Melania wasn’t there for the traditional hand-holding walk out of the courthouse. While Trump crisscrosses the country holding rallies, Melania has confined her campaigning to venues just down the hall. In April, she joined Caitlyn Jenner and Mehmet Oz in addressing Log Cabin republicans at Mar-a-Lago. A second Log Cabin fundraiser is scheduled for July 8 at Trump Tower.
Melania’s reluctance to appear with Trump in public has forced him to be an understanding spouse. When questioned by Kristen Welker of Meet the Press this fall, Trump called Melania a “private” and “great person” and insisted that “at the appropriate time—she’ll be out there.”
It must feel humiliating. Still, Trump needs Melania’s support to win. He knows it. She knows it. And right now, she has the leverage to decide when and where she will campaign—and, presumably, how much money will flow from Trump’s PAC into her bank account for each appearance.
