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Republican presidential candidate, former US President Donald Trump, arrives at the home of billionaire investor John Paulson, with former first lady Melania Trump, on April 6, 2024 in Palm Beach, Florida. Donald Trump's campaign is expecting to raise more than 40 million dollars when major donors gather for his biggest fundraiser yet. The event is billed as the "Inaugural Leadership Dinner".© Getty Images

Why Donald Trump's wife Melania did not support him for visit to Joe Biden at White House

The former and future first lady broke from a decades-long tradition and rejected Dr. Jill Biden's invite

Beatriz Colon
Beatriz Colon - New York
New York WriterNew York
November 14, 2024
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For the first time in eight years, the U.S. is witnessing a peaceful transfer of power, between President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump.

The Democrat and the Republican met yesterday in the White House to begin the transition process following the latter's electoral win last week, a stark contrast from when he refused to concede in 2020 and subsequently incited a violent insurrection on the capitol, which left several dead.

However, though the two were pictured in good spirits having their meeting, and later posed for a photo with Dr. Jill Biden, there is one person who refused to participate, former and future First Lady Melania Trump.

WATCH: Donald Trump claims 'magnificent victory' as he looks set for White House return

Breaking from a decades-old tradition, Mrs. Trump was not in attendance at the White House meeting on Wednesday, and detailed her decision in a rare, somewhat accusatory statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Mrs. Trump will not be attending today's meeting at the White House. Her husband's return to the Oval Office to commence the transition process is encouraging, and she wishes him great success," the statement first read.

It then claimed: "In this instance, several unnamed sources in the media continue to provide false, misleading, and inaccurate information. Be discerning with your source of news."

View post on X

Per Axios, Dr. Biden did give a letter to Trump to give to his wife.

MORE: Inside Melania Trump's $2.5m wedding to Donald ahead of 20th anniversary

President Joe Biden meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.© Getty
Biden and Trump met one week after the election results were confirmed

MORE: Donald Trump reveals how 6 '7' son Barron got so tall

Throughout Trump's two-year reelection campaign, his wife's frequent absences have been repeatedly noticed and reported on, and her increasingly rare appearances by his side in comparison to when he first ran for president almost ten years ago, and during his tempestuous four years as president.

President Joe Biden meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.© Getty
Their meeting was a stark contrast to their previous 2020 transition of power

Now, despite her husband's win, it does not appear her distance from the White House will change anytime soon, moreover whether D.C. will be her primary residence is also in doubt.

MORE: Melania Trump's memoir: five bombshells as she's set to return to the White House

First Lady Melania Trump, Karen Pence, President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, former president Barack Obama, former vice president Joe Biden, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden stand on the steps of the U. Capitol on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC.
Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States Friday -- ushering in a new political era that has been cheered and feared in equal measure© Getty
The Bidens and Trumps, along with the Obamas, at Trump's 2017 inauguration

Axios further reported that Mrs. Trump, who has shied away from commenting much on her returning role as first lady, might instead live between her home bases of Palm Beach and New York City, where her son Barron Trump goes to college, at NYU, and will visit the White House "only for ceremonial undertakings like state dinners or special events."

MORE:Meet Donald Trump's youngest son Barron Trump — who Melania is very protective over

A large group of pro-Trump protesters stand on the East steps of the Capitol Building after storming its grounds on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. A pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol, breaking windows and clashing with police officers. Trump supporters gathered in the nation's capital today to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory over President Trump in the 2020 election© Getty
Police officers were beaten, a rioter was shot, and several died, during Trump's January 6 insurrection when he refused to accept his 2020 defeat, and at least four police officers who were on the scene have died by suicide since

Ahead of the election, she did say on Fox & Friends: "I'm not anxious because this time is different," noting: "I have much more experience, much more knowledge."

She added: "I was in the White House before. So when you go in, you know exactly what to expect. You know what kind of people you need to get. You need to have people that are on your team, that they have the same vision as me and to serve me because they serve the country."

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