Trump Brings Melania Clone Staffers To 2024 Debate In Desperate Attempt To Cover Her Absence
Another day, another round of playing "Where on Earth is Melania Trump?" At this point in her husband's presidential campaign, it's not about what outfit she's donning to an important event; it's about whether Melania can even be bothered to show up in the first place. Spoiler alert for Donald Trump's latest appearance: She didn't. Instead, during the televised debate between himself and Democratic opponent Kamala Harris, Melania pulled her signature disappearing act once again. But don't fret, her lookalikes lawyer Alina Habba and Trump aide Margo Martin were there to keep up appearances — quite literally.
In fairness to the former president, he didn't roll into Philadelphia alone. In fact, Donald had an entire support group of loyal followers accompanying him. His dedicated cheer-squad included spokesperson Steven Cheung, senior advisor Corey Lewandowski, former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, and far-right activist Laura Loomer. Even Eric Trump and his wife, Lara Trump, who serves as the Republican National Committee's co-chair, made the cut, too. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris had her husband, Doug Emhoff, by her side, making Melania's absence even more glaring.
You've got to wonder why Donald needed to bring not one, but two of his wife's supposed doppelgängers, both of whom also just so happen to be on his payroll. Is the real Melania holed up somewhere penning that much-anticipated memoir? Or is her absence a signal that she's really not on board with her reportedly estranged husband running for office again?
Why didn't Melania attend the presidential debate?
Why Melania Trump skipped the second presidential debate of the year is anyone's guess, but if we had to bet money on it, the former first lady is probably stepping even further away from the spotlight, forcing her husband's team to bring Melania's lookalikes instead. Throughout the 2024 presidential campaign, the former model has been increasingly picky about her public appearances, and the last big event she showed up for was the Republican National Convention in July, where Melania made headlines for not speaking. According to political commentator Megyn Kelly, though, it's not that she's rooting against The Donald. Rather, the former first lady simply doesn't enjoy being the center of attention.
"The implication is she doesn't like him. Well, if she doesn't like him, she had plenty of opportunity to divorce him and she didn't do it," Kelly reasoned during an appearance on "On Balance with Leland Vittert," thereby implying that the Trumps are still going strong regardless of naysayers (via News Nation). As Kelly elaborated, "She's not a political animal. She doesn't really want this. We've known that since she ran the first time." And when Melania does show her face, every appearance apparently speaks volumes. "I think her showing up here tonight is to say 'I'm with him. Don't second guess me.' But she's not really a public figure," Kelly added.
That said, Melania hasn't been entirely silent. In a move no one saw coming, she took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to react to the shocking assassination attempt on Donald's life, while also sneakily plugging her upcoming memoir. "I can't help but wonder, why didn't law enforcement officials arrest the shooter before the speech?" the former model speculated in a video, adding, "There is definitely more to this story, and we need to uncover the truth."
Is Melania too busy working on her upcoming memoir?
Speaking of memoirs, maybe Melania Trump's been MIA because she's too busy spilling all the tea in her upcoming book. Sure, we may not know where the former first lady has been when it actually counts, but perhaps she's saving all the juicy details for her own words. Aptly titled "Melania," the book is set to drop on October 8, 2024. In yet another video teaser, posted to her X account, Melania offered fans a taste of what to expect, promising that it'll be introspective, transparent, and full of unbarred "truth," whatever that means.
"Writing this memoir has been a deeply personal and reflective journey for me. As a private person who has often been the subject of public scrutiny and misrepresentation, I feel a responsibility to clarify the facts," she said. "I believe it is important to share my perspective — the truth." Sounds like we're in for zero fake news!
However, don't expect to get her version of the truth on the cheap. The book will reportedly set you back $40, $75 if you want it signed, and a massive $150 for the collector's edition. In classic Trump fashion, the truth comes at a price. Maybe the next time we see Melania will be at a book signing — assuming she shows up, of course.