Melania Trump chides ‘rabid press corps’ as she makes first appearance for 24 days

Melania Trump has criticised the media after making her first appearance for 24 days.

After more than three weeks out of sight, the first lady was seen at a White House event on Monday.

She served as co-host with US president Donald Trump at a reception to honour the families of those killed during military service.

But the event was closed to the news media out of respect for the families – meaning the first lady was still only seen in the flesh by those in attendance.

And Mrs Trump had some harsh words for the media ahead of the event.

Her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, told CNN: “Mrs. Trump has always been a strong and independent woman who puts her family, and certainly her health above all else, and that won’t change over a rabid press corps.

“She’s confident in what she is doing and in her role, and knows the rest is just speculation and nonsense.”

Mrs Trump had not been seen in public since the overnight hours of May 10 when she and her husband travelled to a military base in Maryland to welcome home three Americans who had been released from captivity in North Korea.

Four days later, the White House announced that she had been taken to hospital to treat a benign kidney condition.

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Her recent absence was even alluded to by the president himself. Mr Trump joked at the reception: “Did she leave him?”

He then pointed to his wife, sitting in the front row of the room.

At the end of last month, Mrs Trump tweeted: “I see the media is working overtime speculating where I am & what I’m doing.

“Rest assured, I’m here at the @WhiteHouse w my family, feeling great, & working hard on behalf of children & the American people!”

Mrs Trump stayed in hospital for five days and has kept out of public view since returning home May 19.

She has been meeting with staff and working on upcoming projects, according to her spokeswoman.

Ms Grisham said the Gold Star military families’ event is important to Mrs Trump and has been on her calendar for some time.

It is still unclear when the first lady will make an appearance in public.

She is not scheduled to accompany Mr Trump to an annual world leaders’ summit in Canada this weekend, or when he meets with North Korea’s leader in Singapore next week.

Her absence has sparked all kinds of wild speculation but the first lady has shown no interest in making an appearance just to knock down rumours.

She sent early signals that she will not bow to speculation or public expectations about what she should be doing.

Her first clue that she would be a different first lady came when she decided to continue living at Trump Tower after her husband took office in January 2017, citing a desire to maintain stability for her son’s schooling.

She and son Barron officially moved to the White House last June.

It is the second year the Trumps have opened the White House to Gold Star military families.

The first lady said in a written statement after last June’s event that these families “are a unique and distinct category of individuals who should be cherished”.