Melania Trump made a rare public appearance with other former first ladies at Rosalynn Carter's funeral
- Rosalynn Carter, wife of former president Jimmy Carter, died on November 19 at age 96.
- Former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and Hillary Clinton attended her funeral in Georgia.
Melania Trump made a rare public appearance on Tuesday, joining other former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and Hillary Clinton at a tribute service for Rosalynn Carter in Atlanta, Georgia.
Rosalynn died on November 19 at age 96 after being diagnosed with dementia earlier this year. As first lady, she championed mental-health advocacy as the honorary chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health. She was married to former president Jimmy Carter for 77 years.
Previous and current first ladies often appear together at first ladies' funerals, according to CNN. Melania attended the service without her husband, Donald Trump, and sat at the end of the first row next to Michelle, who was there without her husband Barack Obama. George W. Bush, another former president, also wasn't in attendance.
Melania paid tribute to Rosalynn in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the Carter Center announced the news of her death on November 19.
"Rosalynn Carter leaves behind a meaningful legacy not only as First Lady but as a wife and mother," she wrote. "We will always remember her servant's heart and devotion to her husband, family, and country. May she rest in peace."
Rosalynn's funeral marked a rare sighting of the elusive former first lady, who has largely remained absent from the campaign trail and out of the public eye since leaving the White House in 2021.
The New York Times reported in July that Melania has repeatedly rejected her husband's offers to campaign with him, though she continues to support him privately. In September, Donald told "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker that his wife would join him on the campaign trail "when it's appropriate, but pretty soon."
"She's a private person, a great person, a very confident person, and she loves our country very much," he said.
"And honestly, I like to keep her away from it. It's so nasty and so mean," he added.