Melania Trump made a rare public appearance Friday, serving as a special guest at a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens held in the rotunda of the National Archives headquarters.
The appearance is noteworthy for several reasons. For one thing, the former first lady has rarely been seen in public since her husband, former President Donald Trump, left office in January 2021 (her first official sighting in a while came last month, when she attended Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service with living first ladies).
Donald Trump allegedly stored classified documents in the bathroom of, among other places, Mar-a-Lago
But it’s also noteworthy that the ceremony is being hosted by the National Archives, the agency that asked the Justice Department to investigate her husband’s handling of White House documents after he left office. As a result of that lengthy investigation, the former president became the first commander-in-chief to face federal charges.
Prosecutors alleged that the former president stored top-secret documents in bathrooms and closets at his private Mar-a-Lago resort. Trump has claimed on social media that all documents in his possession have been declassified — even though, according to the indictment, prosecutors have viewed tapes of Trump bragging about possessing classified records and allegedly admitting he has not declassified them.
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Melania Trump.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty
The National Archives is still missing several records from the Trump administration, officials say
It’s unusual to see a government agency — let alone one that has tensions with President Trump — host a candidate’s wife for a photo shoot exactly one month before the Iowa caucuses.
The National Archives says it did not invite Melania to attend Friday’s naturalization ceremony in a political capacity, but to attend as the nation’s only naturalized first lady, making her a relevant guest for the occasion.
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Melania Trump. Donald Trump on his wife Melania’s absence from the campaign trail: ‘I like to keep her out of it’
“This is a nonpartisan event, just as the National Archives is a nonpartisan entity,” a spokesperson for the Archives told Politico in a statement. “Mrs. Trump will be speaking in her capacity as a former first lady and a distinguished naturalized American citizen. The National Archives is a resource for all Americans, and inviting the only first lady who is herself a naturalized citizen to speak to others who pledge allegiance to our nation sends a powerful message to all Americans that the National Archives is here for everyone.”
According to the press release, the ceremony was held as part of the archive’s annual Bill of Rights Day celebration, where 25 people from 25 countries took the oath as new US citizens in front of the Constitution and other fundamental documents of the country.
Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan, who took office earlier this year under President Joe Biden, also delivered remarks at the event.
Melania Trump Continues After Georgia Indictment: ‘Another Problem for Her Husband, Not Her’ (Exclusive)
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Former first lady Melania Trump poses with Judge Elizabeth Gunn (left), US Archivist Colleen Shogan (far right) and one of 25 newly sworn-in US citizens on December 15, 2023.
A source told PEOPLE earlier this year that Melania — who has been noticeably absent from the 2024 campaign and her husband’s court appearances — was eager to keep her head down and continue to lead “her own life.”
“Melania publicly supports her husband, but privately prefers a life with 100 percent privacy and no media scrutiny,” a source told PEOPLE.
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The former president faces a total of 91 criminal charges between the four investigations, some of which could land him in prison if convicted. A violation of the Georgia RICO Act, classified as a “serious felony,” carries a minimum sentence of five years.
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Source: HIS Education