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By Marni Rose McFall
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The first lady, Melania Trump, has not been seen in public for 25 days, including absences from two high-profile Washington events: the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham and the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Melania Trump has, in previous years, had notable absences from the public eye. During President Donald Trump’s first term in 2018 she was absent from the public eye for 24 days and was absent for four weeks from Washington in 2025.
The first lady’s Press Office and the White House declined to address Melania Trump’s absence from events when reached by Newsweek in late July.
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Newsweek has contacted the White House again for comment outside of regular working hours via email.
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When Was Melania Trump Last Seen in Public?
Melania Trump was last seen in public on July 19 when she joined President Donald Trump at the FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The first lady was photographed alongside Trump as they watched the championship match.
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She was also seen at Trump's July 4 "Salute to America 250" celebration on the National Mall.
In June, she joined Trump at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn, sitting ringside with members of the Trump family and UFC President Dana White during the historic event.
In April, she attended the White House Correspondents' Dinner, before the event was cut short by a security scare triggered by gunfire outside the venue.
Melania Trump was escorted by the Secret Service agents out of the ballroom, alongside the president and other top officials.
The U.S. Secret Service previously told Newsweek that it is aware of an Iran-linked video targeting Melania Trump, amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The Secret Service indicated that threats directed at people under its protection are reviewed by the agency.
"The Secret Service is aware of the video and investigates anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees," Nate Herring, a lead public affairs specialist with the U.S. Secret Service's Communications and Media Relations office, said. He added, "Out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence."
There is no public indication that the first lady’s 25-day absence is linked to the reported Iranian threat, and the matter has not been linked by officials.
Melania Trump’s Public Appearances in 2026
A Newsweek review of photographs found that the first lady has appeared in public at 34 events so far in 2026. The White House does not maintain a public master list of the first lady's appearances.
Among those appearances were promotional events tied to her documentary, Melania, including its premiere at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
In February, the first lady joined President Donald Trump at Fort Bragg to honor military personnel involved in the U.S. operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
In March, Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony for service members killed during Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing U.S. military campaign in Iran. She appeared alongside the president, Vice President JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance and other senior administration officials.
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More recently, the first lady has made appearances at FIFA World Cup matches and the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House.
Separate analysis by The Daily Beast found that Melania Trump had been seen in public 38 days this year, averaging roughly one public appearance every six days.
Melania Trump's Extended Public Absences
During the first lady’s time in the national spotlight, there have been several extended public absences.
In 2018, in the second year of Trump’s first term in office, she was absent for nearly a month between May and June.
She was seen on May 10, 2018, welcoming American detainees from North Korea. Then, following a kidney procedure announced by the White House, she remained out of public view.
The first lady then reappeared on June 4, 2018 at an event at the White House honoring Gold Star families.
While Trump was campaigning for re-election ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Melania Trump did not regularly attend his campaign events, and while Trump was out of the White House, she kept a largely private life.
At the beginning of Trump’s second term in office, Melania Trump was absent for a four-week period, beginning in January and ending in February.
The first lady was seen on January 24 in North Carolina and California, both of which had been impacted by natural disasters.
During the presidential transition, Melania Trump was reported to be dividing her time between New York, where her son Barron Trump attends college, and Florida.
It is not currently clear when the first lady will next appear at a public event.
August is traditionally one of the quieter months at the White House. September will see bigger events on the schedule, including Labor Day celebrations and commemorations of the September 11 terrorist attacks, which the first lady may attend.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Tony Phillips.
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