Melania Trump snub: Why First Lady never celebrates anniversary with Donald Trump
MELANIA and Donald Trump had their 15th wedding anniversary yesterday - but neither breathed a word of it on their social media platforms,
Melania Trump appears to snatch hand away from Donald
In fact, the President and First Lady have failed to mention it in previous years as well, sparking speculation as to why. This year, the White House shared a special anniversary picture on Instagram that was branded “awkward” by one Trump critic. However, other people sent their good wishes and congratulations to the couple.
The Trumps never post anything to celebrate themselves however, unlike Barack and Michelle Obama who post soppy messages every October 3.
It might be surprising to some that Mr Trump, the prolific tweeter that he is, did not take a few minutes to publicly mark his 15th wedding anniversary.
That said, it is believed that the Trumps like to keep their relationship private, preferring to comment on each other’s professional work instead.
They rarely comment on their home life, instead highlighting each other’s strengths in their respective jobs.
However, the Trumps do not even seem to spend their anniversary together most years.
This year, as well as the past two years, the President has been at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
In 2018, Melania was scheduled to accompany him, but pulled out last minute due to “scheduling and logistical” issues.
At the time, Melania was keeping a low profile amid allegations that her husband had an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2006 and then paid her $130,000 (£99,000) to keep quiet.
Kate Anderson Brower, who specialises in the history of the First Lady over the years, said that Melania cancelling on her husband was unusual.
She said: “It’s pretty unusual, but in modern history, we haven’t seen a couple like this.
“I’m thinking back to Hillary Clinton, when she famously went with President Clinton to Martha’s Vineyard at the height of the impeachment trial and all the controversy surrounding it.
“It’s a bit of a power that the First Lady can wield over her husband.
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“And we haven’t had a relationship this fraught since, I think, the Clintons, even going back and looking at someone like Eleanor Roosevelt or Jackie Kennedy, where there were lots of rumours surrounding their relationship.”
However, FLOTUS insists that speculation around her relationship with the President does not concern her.
She told ABC: “I know people like to speculate and the media like to speculate about our marriage and circulate the gossip.
“But I understand that gossip sells newspapers, magazines and unfortunately we live in this kind of world today.”
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She added that she has “more important things to think about” and that “it is not a concern and focus of mine”.
In 2017, the First Couple did not celebrate their 12th anniversary together either, as Melania returned to New York at the end of a busy inaugural weekend.
She and their son Barron continued to live in New York instead of moving to the White House straight away, in order for him to finish his school year.
Their predecessors usually celebrated anniversaries with private outings across town.
The Obamas were known to dine at places such as Georgetown’s Bourbon Steak, Alexandria’s Restaurant Eve and West End’s Blue Duck Tavern on their special day.
Laura and George W Bush also enjoyed private dinners every November 5.