Why Melania Trump Might Be Tested the Most in Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial

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The start of Donald Trump’s hush money trial isn’t going to be a fun one for the former president, but it’s probably going be even harder on Melania Trump. The former first lady will have to see headlines about her husband’s alleged affair with adult star Stormy Daniels and the aftermath of the reported coverup.

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The trial, which starts on Monday, April 15, kicks off just as Melania was embracing the idea that “she’s ready to be first lady again,” according to a Page Six source. She’s spent the last three years hiding behind the walls of Mar-a-Lago, and just as she’s beginning to emerge, the trial begins. The alleged fling with Daniels is what Slate described as possibly “the single most explosive issue in their marriage.”

It’s a story that The New York Times claimed in 2018 rocked the foundation of their union. “Mrs. Trump and the president have had a tumultuous relationship at times over the years, but few episodes have roiled the peace as much as the news surrounding Ms. Daniels.” Katie Rogers’ recent book, American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden, gave insight into why she canceled a last-minute overseas trip after it was revealed that Donald Trump had paid Daniels $130,000 ahead of the 2016 election to buy her silence. Spoiler alert: it didn’t land too well with Melania either. “I think she was pissed at Trump and wanted him to be a little humiliated that she took off,” former press secretary Stephanie Grisham told Rogers.

Melania has kept herself detached from any of Donald Trump’s legal issues whether they are civil or criminal cases — she doesn’t want to be involved. It’s an example of how standing by her man might be conditional in some circumstances. As of 2023, sources close to the former first lady were pointing out to People that she was still “angry” about the situation. “She is aware of who her husband is and keeps her life upbeat with her own family and a few close friends,” the insider said while noting that it’s been a point of contention in their marriage after the allegations came to light in 2018. She “wants to ignore it and hopes it will pass, but she doesn’t sympathize with Donald’s plight,” the source added.

So, voters shouldn’t expect Melania anywhere near the New York courthouse in the coming weeks. This is Donald Trump’s burden to bear, but behind closed doors, the events that happened in their marriage are still upsetting even years later.

Before you go, click here to see all the celebrity couples who have stayed together after cheating scandals.

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