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Thursday 7 June 2018
First lady returns to public eye after 'little rough patch'
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE It was her first appearance
WASHINGTON (AP) — Me- away from the White House
lania Trump's disappearing since she and the president
act is over. traveled to Joint Base An-
The first lady showed her- drews to welcome home
self in public Wednesday three Americans who had
for the first time in nearly a been released from deten-
month, seated alongside tion in North Korea.
her husband, President Several days later, the first
Donald Trump, for a brief- lady underwent a proce-
ing on the federal govern- dure to treat a kidney con-
ment's preparedness for dition. She spent five days
the hurricane season that in the hospital before re-
began June 1. turning to the White House
The routine meeting at on May 19 to continue her
Federal Emergency Man- recuperation. She held pri-
agement Agency head- vate meetings with her staff
quarters took on outsized and worked on projects,
significance after the White though she skipped a few
House revealed that Mrs. public events where her
Trump would accompa- participation seemed likely,
ny her husband. Prior to including a Medal of Honor
Wednesday, she had not presentation and a sports
been seen off the White President Donald Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, speaks at a briefing on "field day" for professional
House grounds since May this year's hurricane season at the Federal Emergency Management Agency Headquarters, athletes and kids on the
10. Wednesday, June 6, 2018, in Washington. South Lawn.
Associated Press But speculation mounted
as week after week passed
The first sighting of the first without a public appear-
lady came as she and the ance, spawning wild theo-
president strolled down the ries about where she might
walkway from the Oval Of- be and what might have
fice and climbed into "the happened to her.
Beast," his idling limousine. The first lady addressed the
She was wearing a belted issue on Twitter last week,
trench coat and her cus- saying: "I see the media is
tomary high heels. working overtime specu-
Minutes later, Mrs. Trump lating where I am & what
took her seat alongside the I'm doing. Rest assured, I'm
president at one end of a here at the @WhiteHouse
long conference table as w my family, feeling great,
the FEMA briefing began, & working hard on behalf
appearing to be her usual of children & the American
self. people!"
"She's doing great. She Her husband was less chari-
went through a little rough table on Wednesday.
patch, but she's doing "The Fake News Media
great," Trump said at the has been so unfair, and vi-
top of the meeting, sur- cious, to my wife and our
rounded by members of great First Lady, Melania,"
his Cabinet as several gov- he wrote on Twitter. "During
ernors and other officials her recovery from surgery
participated by video con- they reported everything
ference. "And we're very from near death, to facelift,
proud of her. She's done a to left the W.H. (and me) for
fantastic job as first lady." N.Y. or Virginia, to abuse.
He added: "The people All Fake, she is doing really
love you. The people of our well!"
country love you. So, thank Trump also paired the text
you honey." of the tweets with video of
The first lady smiled and himself and the first lady on
nodded as her husband his Facebook page.
and others spoke during Fox News Channel, Trump's
the portion of the briefing favorite cable network
that was open to journalists. and one he spends a con-
She and the president later siderable amount of time
spent a few minutes greet- watching, aired a segment
ing FEMA employees. Mrs. earlier this week in which
Trump stepped with ease, the hosts of one of its pro-
smiled and was heard tell- grams criticized news re-
ing one worker "thank you ports about the first lady's
very much." status.q
