Trump won big on 'Super Tuesday,' but Melania Trump did not accompany him at his speech

PALM BEACH — "Super Tuesday" was certainly her husband's big night, but Melania Trump did not attend his speech at Mar-a-Lago.

Donald Trump entered the ballroom at his private club shortly after 10 p.m., and left a little more than half an hour later. His oldest son, Donald Jr., and his fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, were there. So was Trump's son, Eric, and his wife Lara, who is vying for a top post in the Republican National Committee. Also in attendance was Trump's daughter Tiffany.

The former president acknowledged them during his speech.

"I want to than my family for being here," he said. "Great family, I have a great family."

Then he quipped: "They've had it very easy since I decided to run for politics. They say, 'Thanks a lot Dad. We appreciate it.' But they're strong and they're very capable people and they love the country. They really do love the country and appreciate it."

Melania, however, was not seen with the former president during his speech. Neither did eldest daughter Ivanka, or her husband, Jared Kushner, both of whom served in Trump's White House but have said they would refrain from a political service.

Former first lady, eldest daughter did not attend the speech

By the time, he stepped up to the podium, it was clear Trump would sweep nearly all Republican primaries and caucuses, from Alaska to Alabama and Maine to California, setting up a potential clinching primary in his home state of Florida on March 19.

By night's end, Trump had skyrocketed his delegate count to almost 1,000, a shade over 200 away from the nomination, in what is by any account a historic and remarkable political comeback.

While Trump has been a ubiquitous presence at campaign rallies, and even UFC fights, the former first lady has kept out of the public eye since leaving the White House in January 2021.

She has not been at either her husband's rallies or his court appearances. She did accompany Trump to last month's Trumpettes gala, also held at the Palm Beach club.

Previous story: Donald Trump calls Melania 'great first lady' as she accompanies him at Trumpettes gala

Melania Trump has been absent from the campaign trail, courtroom appearances

The former first lady has been absent from her husband's side for political events dating back to November 2022 when she accompanied him as he spoke to reporters and then both cast their ballots at the Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach. She then accompanied him as he announced his 2024 White House comeback campaign at Mar-a-Lago a week later.

The absences have sparked widespread conjecture ranging from her purported distaste for the political life, to her wish to focus on raising the couple's teenage son, Barron, to her speculated disinterest in engaging in her husband's courtroom battles.

What is certain is that, for an undisclosed period, Melania Trump was tending to her mother, Amalija Knavss, who was seriously ill and died in early January. The former president first spoke publicly about his mother-in-law's health at his New Year's Eve gala, where he explained that Knavss was "very ill" and that Melania was at her side at a Miami hospital.

Knavss subsequently died Jan. 9 at the age of 78. Melania announced the loss of her mother on X, calling her "a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity."

The former first lady has also been absent from her husband's court appearances throughout 2023 and early 2024.

She was not present as Trump spoke to the nation in April of last year from the Palm Beach private club after he was arraigned on the first set of what now are 91 felony charges. Nor at his courtroom hearings.

Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump won on 'Super Tuesday.' Did Melania Trump attend his speech?