Melania Trump’s mysterious year, wrapped: from her no-show at Donald’s birthday and divorce rumours, to that sudden media comeback – the former first lady kept making headlines in 2021

Dec 24 , 2021

Donald Trump might be out of the White House, but Melania Trump’s erratic schedule continues to fascinate the public. Photo: AFP

Despite Donald Trump’s financially taxing loss of the 2020 election, his wife and former first lady Melania Trump continued to make plenty of headlines in 2021. From her fashion choices to her collection of luxury gifts, and of course that time she most mysteriously stepped out of the spotlight for a matter of months, we look back at her most memorable moments that made STYLE headlines this year.

Too rich for White House duties?

A steely Melania Trump listens as her husband speaks to US military personal during an unannounced trip to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq on Boxing Day, 2018. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

The internet has often joked about Melania Trump being a “reluctant first lady” during her time in the White House, with many saying that she seemed less than enthralled with life there, even suggesting that she couldn’t wait get out and to return to enjoying her wealth privately and without judgment.

If Donald Trump ran for president again, would she be excited about a second term as first lady? We think it’s unlikely.

We looked back at five times Melania showed that her former first lady title might’ve been a poor fit …

5 times Melania Trump proved she’s too rich to be first lady

All that bling

Melania Trump goes window shopping with Japan’s “first lady”, Akie Abe. Photo: AP

Given her penchant for luxury, it’s little surprise that Melania Trump has been given plenty of extravagant gifts by foreign leaders in the past. But newly released records showed that she and husband Donald Trump received items collectively worth US$120,000 in 2019. We took a look at some of the finer items.

6 gifts to Melania Trump from world leaders … but which was the priciest?

We also delved through her biggest fashion fails

She might be known as a style icon, but not everything Melania has worn has gone down in the style file. Photos: AFP; @melaniatrump.style/Instagram; TNS

As the wife of president Donald Trump, Melania spent her time in the limelight carefully curating her unique brand of fashion diplomacy, bringing Hollywood glamour and style to the White House. Donning brands like Hermès, Chanel, Christian Dior and Christian Louboutin, she never seemed worried about being fashion forward and frequently experimented with edgy looks, using her wardrobe to make silent statements on political issues.

However, our notebook on her glamorous looks, which have been documented in detail over the years, recorded a few (albeit rare) misses. Here are five of Melania’s biggest fashion boo-boos as US first lady.

5 of Melania Trump’s biggest fashion fails as first lady

Melania’s weird “disappearance” ...

The former first lady made fewer public appearances than many expected, even during Trump’s presidency. Photo: @melaniatrumpfashion/Instagram

After Biden won the election and the Trumps moved to Florida, Melania Trump prompted more rumours she could be divorcing Donald Trump after she was apparently missing from the former US president’s 75th birthday celebration, on June 14.

And with only a few sightings since the Trumps left the White House in January, the public was curious as to know: what the former first lady was up to in the first half of 2021?

Is Melania leading an entirely separate life from Donald Trump?

... and then sudden return

Melania Trump suddenly seems more comfortable in the limelight with her husband again. Photos: @melaniatrump IG, AP

Donald Trump said that he will “probably” wait until next year to announce whether he intends on running in the 2024 US presidential elections. It may be no coincidence that suddenly, after months out of the spotlight, Melania Trump has been increasing her public appearances and stepping back into the limelight. Check out the full story ...

The return of Melania Trump: 5 signs she’s making a comeback

Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Melania Trump

The ‘reluctant first lady’ was conspicuously absent from Donald Trump’s big 75th birthday celebration and rarely sighted in 2021’s first half, prompting separation rumours
But after her husband announced a likely bid for the 2024 presidency, Melania suddenly stepped back into the spotlight at a raft of media appearances – coincidence, much?