Signs Melania's Trial Absence Hurt Trump More Than He's Let On

Donald Trump may have displayed an unbothered attitude throughout his hush money trial — at least until the guilty verdict came in — but the absence of his wife Melania Trump has supposedly left him a little perturbed. Since April 2024, all eyes have been on the former reality TV star and his high profile hush money case. The trial stemmed from a March 2023 verdict in which a Manhattan jury indicted Donald on 34 felony charges for allegedly falsifying business records to hide a payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election. Unsurprisingly, the legal proceedings have been full of shocking testimonies that peeled back the curtain on the actions of Donald and his former allies. While it has been a daunting few weeks for the controversial businessman, he has received support from various family members.

"This is a sham. This is insane. It needs to stop," Donald Trump Jr. exclaimed during a May 28 press conference. Eric Trump echoed similar sentiments at the same gathering, claiming that the trial has been a "colossal waste of time." While he has received support from his sons, Donald's wife, Melania, has been noticeably absent from the courtroom. Fortunately, a source that was once close to the Trumps provided insight into how the former first lady's absence has impacted Donald.

On May 29 2024, former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham opened up about how Donald Trump feels about Melania ditching his hush money trial. "I know it bothers him," she revealed to CNN's Erin Burnett. Grisham went on to say that Donald's frustrations over Melania's absence is nothing new, as he would express the same discomfort when she missed events during his presidency. "It was really noted he would bring it up with her," she added. When asked about the possibility of Melania making a surprise appearance at the verdict, Grisham seemingly shut down the idea, stating that she would be absolutely floored if that occurred. "There's just no way... In her mind, I think she would think she was caving or even look weak to suddenly show up now," Grisham explained. Ultimately, she was right as Melania was still absent the next day when Donald was found guilty on all 34 counts.

While Melania took a noticeable back seat throughout Donald's hush money trial, she reportedly has the same views about the legal proceedings as her husband. In April 2024, sources close to the Trumps revealed to Katie Rogers of The New York Times that the former first lady considers the trial a disgrace and unfair. However, despite sharing the same opinion about the criminal charges, the unidentified sources revealed that Melania thinks the whole ordeal is Donald's problem not hers.