Melania Trump Steps Back from White House Role, Focuses on Independent Projects and Upcoming Documentary

News
Alexis N. Crockett
February 28, 2025
11 minutes read

US President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump arrive on New Year’s Eve at his Mar-A-Lago Club on December 31, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images)

As President Donald Trump settles into his second term, First Lady Melania Trump appears to be charting her own course, spending much of her time away from the White House and focusing on personal projects. Melania’s recent appearance at the annual Governors Ball was her first public event in nearly a month, sparking speculation about her role in the administration.

Before that, she was last seen alongside President Trump during visits to disaster-stricken areas in North Carolina and California on January 24. According to a source speaking to People, Melania’s absence from the spotlight is not surprising. “This should not come as a surprise because this is how she lives,” the source said. “She will never be a traditional first lady.

That isn’t who she is.” The source added that Melania has “her own ideas on what she wants to do” and has been working on independent projects. One of her major endeavors is an upcoming Amazon Prime Video documentary directed by Brett Ratner, which she is executive producing alongside Fernando Sulichin.

A Miami political insider revealed, “Melania has been busy shooting her documentary, and that has taken place in several locations, including the White House.” The documentary is expected to be released in the second half of 2025, though an official date has not been confirmed, per Mirror.

While Melania has spent time at both the White House and Mar-a-Lago, sources suggest she does not have a strong presence in Washington. “[Donald and Melania] both live at Mar-a-Lago and have quarters in the White House. But she leads her own life and joins him when appropriate in either place,” the source explained. When in Florida, she reportedly keeps a low profile and occasionally joins Trump for dinner but largely prefers privacy.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk out from the White House to board Marine One on January 24, 2025, in Washington, DC (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Melania’s rare public appearances have fueled speculation about the state of her marriage. In his new book, All or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured America, journalist Michael Wolff claims that their relationship is strained, citing a source who said, “She f**king hates him.”

Wolff also noted that Melania did not make a single campaign appearance in the 18 months leading up to the Republican National Convention (RNC) last year, furthering rumors of distance between the couple.

While Melania has spoken about expanding her Be Best initiative, originally launched in 2018 to combat online bullying and promote children’s well-being, there has been little movement on the program since Trump’s second inauguration.

In a January Fox & Friends interview, she expressed hopes for furthering the initiative. “Imagine what we could do in those years if they would rally behind me and teach the children and protect them about social media and their mental health. It will be an exciting four years. We have a lot to do,” she said.

However, the White House’s official website has made over 250 announcements since the inauguration, and Melania’s involvement has barely been mentioned. Aside from her public profile page, only two official statements reference her—one about public tours and another about her official portrait.

The Be Best website has since been archived, with its last post being a farewell message from Melania on January 18, 2021. While her independent approach to the role of First Lady has been consistent, Melania’s increasing distance from White House affairs raises questions about how involved she will be throughout Trump’s second term.