Where’s Melania Trump? Former first lady notably missing as MAGA entourage flocks to presidential debate

Donald Trump was seen stepping off Trump Force One with a fervent female supporter by his side ahead of his primetime presidential debate against Kamala Harris.

But it wasn’t his wife, former first lady, Melania.

Instead, the former president touched down on the tarmac in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Laura Loomer – the conservative conspiracy theorist and firm fixture of his MAGA entourage who once described herself as a “proud Islamophobe” – by his side.

Former Democratic representative Tulsi Gabbard, Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, son Eric Trump, daughter-in-law and RNC co-chair Lara Trump and his lawyer Alina Habba were also among those stepping off Trump’s jet.

The MAGA clan were among a group of Trump’s closest allies to join him at the debate on Tuesday night where he clashed with his Democratic rival, and wildly – and falsely – claimed that immigrants are eating cats and dogs in Ohio.

Melania, meanwhile, was notably absent from the night’s events.

The former first lady has largely avoided the campaign trail since her husband kicked off his re-election campaign, making only a handful of appearances beside him, including at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.

Even there, she shirked tradition by choosing not to give a keynote address on stage.

Besides the RNC, Melania has made only a handful of other appearances with her husband this year including a Florida campaign fundraiser in April and their son Barron’s high school graduation in May – which Trump was allowed a day away from his hush money criminal trial in New York to attend.

She did not attend Trump’s first debate of his campaign against President Joe Biden in July – which ultimately led to the president dropping out of the race