When former first lady Melania Trump appeared on stage in the final moments of the Republican National Convention to congratulate her husband former President Trump, he greeted her with a startled expression.
The former president leaned back and opened his arms in a gesture of shock, before returning his spouse’s embrace.
Melania Trump has been mostly absent from the campaign trail. She didn’t appear at her husband’s debate against President Biden in Atlanta last month, and she has rarely been seen or heard from since the former president launched his third presidential campaign last year.
For that reason, the former first lady’s much-hyped appearance at the RNC on Thursday was one of the most closely watched moments of the night. And when Melania Trump did finally appear, wearing a dress that matched her husband’s trademark red tie, she was greeted like a celebrity.
“Obviously, when Melania showed up last night in that red outfit that was iconic, historic. Her presence was just incredible to see,” Amber Schroeder, an alternate Wisconsin delegate, told The Hill.
“I’m with the South Carolina delegation, and we were just thrilled to see her. Alaska was in front of us, and Washington beside us — everybody reacted the same,” noted delegate Susan Aiken.
For weeks, it was unclear as to whether Melania would make an appearance at all. It wasn’t until the third day of the convention that her stepson, Eric Trump, confirmed that she would be on the convention floor on the final day.
While a rare moment for the campaign, her absence at the convention is historically unusual.
