CNN Insiders Say Melania Trump 'Doesn't Appear to Live at the White House' Amid Discussions of Her Unseen Role

Melania Trump's unusually low profile has once again sparked questions about how she is carrying out her role as First Lady and where she is actually spending most of her time, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

CNN journalists and commentators recently examined her absence from Washington, with one panelist suggesting she "doesn't appear to live at the White House."

During a segment on CNN's Table for Five, journalist Joanna Coles discussed Melania's limited public schedule and her absence from many of the appearances traditionally expected of a first lady.

Coles cited an audit conducted by The Daily Beast, which found that Melania had completed a third fewer public appearances than Jill Biden and 78 percent fewer speeches than Michelle Obama, making her the "least visible first lady of the entire century."

"We haven't seen her since July 4th," Coles said, though Melania did appear alongside Donald Trump at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final on July 19.

"So the question is, what is the First Lady doing?" Coles continued. "The United States has a First Lady, and she is almost never at the president's side."

The conversation became more pointed when Coles addressed speculation about where Melania was spending her time.

"She doesn't appear to live at the White House," Coles said. "So she either lives in Florida or in New York, which is kind of odd, but she just doesn't show up."

NPR journalist Ayesha Rascoe suggested the president may have taken over some responsibilities traditionally associated with the First Lady, potentially contributing to Melania's reduced visibility.

"[Donald] Trump is taking a lot of the stuff that a First Lady would do," Rascoe said as Coles reacted.

"He's redesigning the White House; he's redecorating," Rascoe added. "He wants to do everything. He's taking the First Lady role too."

The CNN discussion also echoed longstanding claims from biographer Michael Wolff, who has portrayed the pair as living largely separate lives.

Wolff has claimed there was "hardly even the pretense that she lives in the White House," while describing staffers as frequently being left uncertain about Melania's whereabouts and schedule.

His account has also focused on what he described as a highly independent dynamic between the couple, with Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump portraying them as leading largely "parallel lives."

The book described separate bedrooms and disagreements over White House décor, while Melania was reportedly "very unhappy" with her husband's plans affecting her first-term Rose Garden redesign.