Former first lady Melania Trump has joined her husband to vote in their home state of Florida, the UK Daily Mail reported. Although she has yet to join former President Donald Trump on the campaign trail, Melania said to "stay tuned."
The former president, who is the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, cast his ballot in West Palm Beach Tuesday near his Mar-a-Lago residence. Donald Trump answered questions from the media as his wife looked on.
The former first lady donned sunglasses and a white dress for the occasion. She has largely stayed out of the limelight while Donald Trump campaigns, making this appearance to cast her ballot in the primary a rare occurrence.
🚨 Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive to vote on Election Day in Florida
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) March 19, 2024
Although she was a former model and former first lady, Melania Trump has hung in the background while her husband gears up for another contentious battle for the White House in 2024. Still, Donald Trump said in February that his wife would join him on the campaign trail at some point, Fox News reported.
"It’s funny, she was a very successful model, very, very successful, and yet she was a private person. She’s going to be out a lot," Donald Trump promised.
"Not because she likes doing it, but she likes the results. She wants to see this country really succeed. She loves the country," the former president added.
"You know, a lot of first ladies would go out — they want to be everywhere. They get angry at their husband because he’s not introducing them," Donald Trump went on.
"If I didn’t introduce Melania, she’d be very happy about it. She’s just a different kind of a person," he added.
As the president's wife, the position of first lady is not necessarily a political one. Still, they're traditionally expected to take an active role to the extent that they can as an informal member of the presidential administration.
Some, like Jackie Kennedy, become fashion icons and celebrities in their own right. Others implement their own agendas, such as Michelle Obama, whose revamped school lunches meant to deal with childhood obesity instead left kids hungry and disgruntled, CBS News reported at the time.
Melania Trump took up her "Be Best" campaign that focused on the well-being of children as part of that tradition. However, she never relished the spotlight the way other first ladies did.
Instead, Melania Trump bucked convention and allowed her husband the opportunity to outshine her. This arrangement suits the power couple, but Melania Trump will be there to support her husband as the campaign ramps up.
If she were to take a more active role in the campaign, Melania Trump could be helpful in softening Donald Trump's image. Perhaps it's time for her to take charge as the 2024 presidential election promises to be a difficult one.
