First lady Melania Trump will not be present at the first-ever Republican midterm convention, an event her husband prompted to boost his party's midterm election outlook.
As President Donald Trump traveled to Dallas, Texas, the first lady was speaking at a White House Rose Garden event with the White House Historical Association, according to a release from her office. She is also not scheduled to go to Dallas for night two of the event. President Trump is scheduled to speak both nights, and at least one member of the family will be there, as Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to speak on night two of the event.
Melania Trump's presence has been sparse this summer; she went more than a month without a public appearance. She was also scarcely on the
campaign trail in 2024. At the Republican National Convention in 2024, days after Donald Trump was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania, Melania Trump only appeared on the final night of the event, though she did not give a speech.
Here is what to know about the first lady and the rest of Trump's family.
What has Melania Trump done as first lady?
Melania Trump has focused her policy work on access to artificial intelligence for kids, improving the foster care system, combating non-consensual intimate imagery and helping to reunite children separated from their families in the Russia-Ukraine war. Outside of her official duties, she has helped produce and promote a documentary about herself.
Early in 2025, Melania Trump championed the Take it Down Act, which was signed into law on May 19. Over the summer of 2025, she took a nearly two-month-long hiatus from public life before appearing at an AI event in September.
In 2026, she promoted her documentary "Melania" heavily when it came out in January. In March, she made history as the only first lady to sit in for the Security Council presidency at the UN. She also convened an international summit for her Fostering the Future initiative, where she debuted a humanoid robot that she says could help teach students.
She especially shocked the world in April when she called a press conference to make an announcement denying she had a friendship with Epstein and calling on Congress to have a public hearing for survivors.
Her senior advisor recently announced that a docuseries extension of the "Melania" movie would be coming to Amazon Prime in the fall.
How long have Donald Trump and Melania Trump been together?
Donald and Melania Trump have been married for 21 years. They were married on Jan. 22, 2005, when then-Melania Knauss was 34 and Trump was 58.
Trump was married twice before Melania. His marriage to Ivana Trump lasted about 15 years, and his marriage to Marla Maples lasted about six years.
Donald and Melania Trump's only child, Barron Trump, 20, has only joined the family on a few outings since his father returned to office.
What nationality is Melania Trump?
Melania Trump was born in Slovenia. She is the only first lady to be a naturalized citizen.
President Donald Trump is the father of these 5 kids
The late Ivana Trump and Donald Trump, married from 1977 to 1992, had three kids together.
- Donald Trump Jr. (He has five children with his ex-wife Vanessa Trump, who is now dating Tiger Woods.)
- Ivanka Trump (She is married to Jared Kushner with three kids.)
- Eric Trump (He is married to Lara Trump, and they have two kids.)
Marla Maples and Donald Trump were married from 1993 until 1999. They have one daughter together.
- Their daughter Tiffany Trump, married to Michael Boulos, had her first baby in May 2025.
Melania Trump and Donald Trump were married in 2005, and they have one child together.
- Barron Trump, 20, remains somewhat of a mystery and largely out of the public eye, though when he does show up he sticks out at approximately 6-foot-7 inches tall.
President Donald Trump has these 11 grandkids:
- Kai Madison Trump, eldest daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and his ex-wife Vanessa Trump, and the eldest grandchild of President Donald Trump
- Donald Trump III, eldest son of Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump
- Spencer Trump, son of Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump
- Tristan Trump, son of Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump
- Chloe Trump, daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump
- Arabella Kushner, daughter of Ivanka Trump and husband, former White House senior adviser Jared Kushner
- Joseph Kushner, son of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner
- Theodore "Theo" Kushner, son of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner
- Luke Trump, son of Eric Trump and "Fox News" host Lara Trump
- Carolina Trump, daughter of Eric Trump and Lara Trump
- Alexander Trump Boulos, son of Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos
Who is Donald Trump Jr. married to?
Trump Jr. is married to Bettina Trump, formerly Anderson, a socialite and model based in Palm Beach, Florida. The two tied the knot in May.
She is the daughter of a Palm Beach businessman and philanthropist, Harry Loy Anderson Jr., and Inger Anderson. Harry Loy Anderson Jr. also had three other daughters and two sons, according to his obituary in the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X (Twitter), Threads, Bluesky and TikTok.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Melania Trump skipping the Republican midterm convention
