Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet first highlighted Melania’s low profile, noting that aside from a social media post on January 20 thanking supporters for her first year as First Lady, she has remained out of public view. Commentators say this lack of visibility makes it difficult to assess her role compared to previous first ladies. Experts, however, caution against reading too much into it. Eirik Løkke, a U.S. analyst and advisor at Civita, told Dagbladet that Melania’s absence appears to be a deliberate and consistent choice.

“She prefers to stay in the background,” Løkke explained, noting that this approach was evident throughout the 2024 election campaign. According to him, Melania’s decision to avoid the spotlight reflects her personal preference rather than any political statement—especially in a presidency where attention is firmly centered on Donald Trump himself.