The question of whether or not Melania Trump will attend Thursday night’s presidential debate remains a mystery as questions mount over whether the former first lady will publicly campaign with her husband.
The Trump campaign, in a conference call with reporters, wasn’t able to answer if she would be at the consequential first showdown between Trump and Joe Biden in Atlanta on Thursday night.
‘I would expect we probably make our announcement at the debate,’ said campaign adviser Jason Miller.
The Trump campaign put out an advisory for when the former president would land in Atlanta on Thursday. But it only listed Donald Trump’s name and not his wife nor any of his family.
In contrast, the White House has announced Jill Biden will attend the debate and a rally with President Biden on Friday in Atlanta.
‘Families started attending the debates regularly in 1976 and it would be pretty shocking for the wife of a candidate to break that tradition,’ presidential historian Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky said.
The mystery around the first lady’s attendance follows a new report she may not live in Washington D.C. fulltime if her husband wins a second term in the White House.
Those close to the former first lady believe she will likely split her time between Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City – especially with Barron, 18, tipped to attend New York University, Axios reported.