Melania Trump is unlikely to move to Washington full time in her second go-round as first lady, multiple sources told CNN, once more showing signs of her willingness to buck tradition as she returns to her high-profile but unelected role on the world stage.
Discussions about how and where she’ll spend her time are ongoing, the sources said.
One of her first official decisions is to skip the traditional and symbolic meeting with outgoing first lady Jill Biden at the White House as President Joe Biden hosts the president-elect in the Oval Office on Wednesday. After Jill Biden extended the invitation, there was discussion about the incoming first lady’s attendance, with members of Donald Trump’s team making clear that it was important for her to go. Sources cited a prior scheduling conflict for Melania Trump related to her book, and the office of the incoming first lady confirmed on X Wednesday morning that she would not attend the meeting.
But the episode signals that Trump, who spent her first four years in office redefining the role, is laying an early marker – and indicating she will have even more autonomy the second time around.
“I’m not anxious because this time is different. I have much more experience and much more knowledge. I was in the White House before. When you go in, you know exactly what to expect,” Trump said in a recent friendly interview with Fox News as she promoted her eponymous memoir.
Trump is expected to spend a majority of her time over the next four years not at the White House, but between New York City and Palm Beach, Florida, sources familiar with the thinking told CNN. However, they insisted she would still be present for major events and would have her own platform and priorities as first lady.
During his first term as president, Donald Trump spent winter weekends at Mar-a-Lago and summer weekends at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club, and he is expected to continue to do so. The Bidens have similarly spent significant time at the family’s Delaware homes, though the White House has been both Joe and Jill Biden’s primary residence on weekdays for the past four years
