Trump and Melania attend Barron’s graduation after she failed to show at hush money trial

Donald and Melania Trump are attending their son Barron’s high school graduation ceremony together in Florida on Friday as the former president’s criminal hush money trial enters its final throes.

The former president and first lady stood in the stands at Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida alongside Ms Trump’s father, Viktor Knavs, and other parents. Barron Trump, 18, is participating in the ceremonial moment, marking his official leaving from the private school.

Shortly before the ceremony began, Mr Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, to announce his attendance.

“Great student, wonderful boy! Very exciting!!!” Mr Trump wrote.

His attendance was not guaranteed after the hush money trial judge did not immediately grant Mr Trump permission to attend the ceremony, spurring rants from the former president on Truth Social last month. Mr Trump is required to attend proceedings in his trial under New York criminal law.

It is also the first time that Mr Trump has been seen in public with his wife since the trial heard excruciating details from adult film star, Stormy Daniels, about her alleged affair with the former president. Mr and Ms Trump were married at the time. He has denied that the affair ever took place.

The former first lady has not attended her husband’s criminal trial in New York, though her name was brought up this week by Mr Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen when he took the stand.

Cohen alleged that it was Ms Trump who suggested Mr Trump excuse his sexist language in a leaked Access Hollywood tape was “locker room talk”.

The Manhattan trial is set to resume on Monday.

Soon after the graduation on Friday, Mr Trump is taking further advantage of his day off by heading to Minnesota