The First Lady's invitation
Although Joe Biden ensured a peaceful transfer of power and invited President-elect Donald Trump to the White House, an invitation he accepted during his visit last Wednesday, Melania Trump, for her part, chose to decline First Lady Jill Biden’s invitation to visit the White House.
A scheduling conflict
Melania Trump chose not to follow this tradition, citing a scheduling conflict to justify her refusal.
In his first term
By contrast, during her husband’s first term in office, she accepted former First Lady Michelle Obama’s invitation to share a moment of tea.
A tradition
In 2020, after Donald Trump’s defeat in the election, no invitation was extended by the Trumps to the Bidens, breaking a long-standing tradition between the outgoing president and the president-elect.
Joe Biden's invitation
For his part, Donald Trump appeared in the Oval Office on Wednesday, having accepted, to everyone’s surprise, Joe Biden’s invitation.
Immortalized by the media
The odd moment was immortalized by the media when President Biden welcomed Donald Trump back to the White House in a peaceful transfer of power.
Melania's fees
Melania Trump, meanwhile, has kept a low profile for several months, attending only a handful of campaign events and often charging high fees for her presence, even at her own Mar-a-Lago residence.
Refusal to move
Rumors are persistent, suggesting that Melania is no longer living with her husband, which would explain her absence and possible refusal to move to the White House this time.
Part-time
She would spend time at the White House only part-time, while dividing her time between New York and Florida during Trump’s second term.