Melania Trump is making unprecedented preparations for her second term as First Lady, breaking with longstanding tradition by refusing to commit to living full-time at the White House. Instead, she intends to split her time across three cities: Washington D.C., New York City, and Palm Beach, Florida.
Her son Barron, currently a student at New York University, appears to be the driving force behind her plans. “As much as Melania loves Mar-a-Lago and her life in Palm Beach, she will spend more time in New York with her son, who is more important to her than anything else,” said sources familiar with her plans.
Mrs. Trump has already signaled her willingness to buck convention. She decided to decline First Lady Jill Biden’s invitation to the traditional White House tea meeting, pointing to a scheduling conflict related to her new memoir. Despite pressure from some members of the president-elect’s team to attend, Mrs. Trump stood firm in her independence.
To help with transition planning, she has brought on John Rogers, an executive vice president at Goldman Sachs, to advise her on personnel and ceremonial matters. Rogers previously worked as an adviser during her first term as First Lady.
Her approach may stem from her experience between 2017 and 2021. Sources indicate that Melania Trump did not find her previous tenure in the White House enjoyable, during which the couple occupied separate bedrooms.
Her East Wing presence during the first term was notably selective. She frequently chose to remain in the family residence and would receive guests and VIPs in the “Map Room” near the elevator. Her notable projects included extensive renovations to make the White House compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and a controversial White House Rose Garden revamp.
Despite keeping a low public profile during the recent campaign season, her social media posts “struck a positive, hopeful tone about America’s future.” She made appearances at only a handful of key campaign moments throughout the year, while her husband conducted numerous rallies.
The former First Lady’s previous initiatives included the “Be Best” campaign against online bullying and advocacy for children affected by the opioid crisis. She has also started a foundation that raises education funds for children in foster care.
