Trump says Melania’s mother is ‘very ill’ during NYE celebration
January 02, 2024 07:58 AM
Former President Donald Trump told guests at his New Year’s Eve celebration Sunday that former first lady Melania Trump was absent because she was tending to her mother, who is “very ill.”
Trump explained that his mother-in-law, 78-year-old Amalija Knavs, is not well. “It’s a tough one, a very tough one,” the former president said.
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He further told guests at his holiday bash that he had just spoken to his wife, who was in Miami, Florida, with Knavs at the hospital. The party was hosted at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
“Hopefully, she’ll be recovering,” he said of Melania’s mother.
According to Trump, while Melania couldn’t attend, she “sends her love” to everyone. “She knows about 95% of the people in this room,” he added.
A source reportedly close to the former first lady told Fox News, “Melania has always been very devoted to her entire family.”
“It should be no surprise that she spent this Christmas with her ailing mother,” they added.
Evan Vucci/AP
Her absence from the celebration adds to the elusive reputation of the former president’s wife, who seems to enjoy a more private life. During the 2024 campaign cycle, for which Trump announced his bid more than a year ago, Melania has been noticeably missing from public events.
In September, Trump was asked when supporters might see his wife join him. He claimed she would be on the trail “pretty soon. When it’s appropriate, but pretty soon.”
“She’s a private person, a great person, a very confident person, and she loves our country very much,” he explained on NBC News’s Meet the Press.
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Further, he explained, “I like to keep her away from it. It’s so nasty and so mean.”
With less than two weeks until the first Republican presidential nominating contest in Iowa, Trump still leads his opponents by double digits and is seen as the increasingly likely choice for the GOP nominee in 2024.