The Reason Melania Trump Reportedly Stays Away From The White House Is Actually Tragic

After her absence from her husband's side during her first run as first lady, there were more than a few signs that Melania Trump wouldn't return to the White House with Donald Trump for his second term. However, sources close to the former model have revealed the reason why she may prefer to be in Florida than in D.C., and that reason is yet another sign that Donald and Melania's marriage is on the rocks.

For Melania, spending more time at the White House means spending more time with her hubby, but this apparently isn't a cure for her loneliness. A source who frequents Donald's Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, told Page Six, "Melania simply hasn't found a political friend group in D.C., so when she goes, she's relatively isolated. She doesn't trust Washington which is filled with leakers and people whose loyalties change with every poll and election." 

There's been more than a little speculation regarding how Melania felt about being first lady the first time around. Back in 2021, a source told People, "Melania does not like being in the public eye and has made it clear that she isn't interested in doing it again." Another source went as far as to say, "If [Donald] runs, I doubt she will be involved at all," adding, "If he should win, that would be the worst-case scenario for her." Now, that worst-case scenario is reality, and being in the White House seemingly isn't any more appealing to Melania than it was before.

For Melania Trump, losing one friend in Washington, D.C. may have helped to sour the whole experience. Her one-time adviser and pal Stephanie Winston Wolkoff wrote "Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady" back in 2020. The source told Page Six that Wolkoff's betrayal is partially why Melania prefers Florida. They explained that Melania's "real friend group isn't in Washington, D.C., or even in NYC — it's in Palm Beach, where over the last decade she's made a tight circle of close friends who she trusts and likes to spend time with." They added, "No one says anything about what she does or says as everyone is aware of how hurt and disappointed she was with [Wolkoff] who betrayed her trust."

Melania spent much of Donald Trump's first presidency living in New York with their son Barron Trump. The 18-year-old is now attending NYU. The source noted that "in NYC she has [Barron], and some friends she trusts. [But] She thinks of Palm Beach as home." In a January "Fox & Friends" interview, Melania explained, "When I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach," adding, "once you're in on January 20, you serve the country." From the sound of it, in Melania's case, the country is a dish best served from the comfort of Mar-a-Lago.