The First Lady has not been seen in public in nearly three weeks. This absence has fueled baseless and mostly absurd conspiracy theories that something has happened to her. Melania Trump has always liked her privacy and there is no reason why she need be in public: The First Lady is an essentially decorative and optional role.
On Wednesday, Trump tweeted:
I see the media is working overtime speculating where I am & what I'm doing. Rest assured, I'm here at the @WhiteHouse w my family, feeling great, & working hard on behalf of children & the American people!
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) May 30, 2018
Suffice to say, this is not the type of tweet to convince the suspicious:
This couldn't be better designed to fuel speculation that something terrible is going on. https://t.co/SjHc7SCkuC
— Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) May 30, 2018
Sounds totally credible and just like her https://t.co/tSrzpvh5no
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) May 30, 2018
wow this sounds just like her. im totally convinced https://t.co/hOveB7MCwq
— Talia Lavin (@chick_in_kiev) May 30, 2018
Donald Trump may be the conspiracy king, but the problem with conspiracy-mongering is that, once encouraged, it’s awfully hard to control.