(The Hill) — Former first lady Melania Trump was nowhere to be found at Thursday night’s debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.
The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment about its guests at the debate, and the former first lady’s office did not respond to a request for comment about whether she would be in attendance.
“I have no specific names, but you will find out when he lands in Atlanta,” Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told NBC News in an on-camera interview when asked if Melania Trump would be there.
Trump was joined upon landing in Atlanta by a host of aides, including top campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, former Trump campaign aide Corey Lewandowski, communications aide Margo Martin and body man Walt Nauta.
When a CNN reporter noted in a post on social platform X that Melania Trump was not among those who deplaned with the former president, the Trump campaign’s rapid response account shot back, “CNN reporter arrives in Atlanta for the debate and is not accompanied by a spouse or partner. SAD!”
The former first lady has mostly been absent from her husband’s White House bid.
She appeared at Trump’s campaign launch in 2022, but she has not joined him at any of his campaign rallies, nor did she appear on stage with him following victories in the Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire primary or Super Tuesday primaries.
Melania Trump was also absent throughout the former president’s trial in New York City, where he was eventually found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a hush money scheme during the 2016 campaign.
The first lady hosted a fundraiser for the LGBTQ group Log Cabin Republicans at Mar-a-Lago in Florida in April, and she appeared alongside Trump in March when the two cast their ballots in the Florida primary. She is set to host another Log Cabin Republicans fundraiser in New York next month.
First lady Jill Biden accompanied President Biden to the debate.
