Melania Trump's 'appearance rate has gone up' since Natalie Harp drama erupted, says expert
Melania Trump's 'appearance rate has gone up' since Natalie Harp drama erupted, says expert
Angelica CheyenneTue, August 25, 2026 at 5:30 AM UTC
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Melania Trump is back in the public eye -Credit:Getty Images
Melania Trump's attendance at husband President Donald Trump's Freedom 250 Grand Prix race in Washington D.C. over the weekend may have been due to a financial incentive, an expert has speculated.
Former deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews believes that the first lady benefitted from ending her brief hiatus at the race on Sunday, August 23, especially amid the ongoing scandal involving Trump's 35-year-old White House aide, Natalie Harp. Sarah claimed during an interview Sunday that the 56-year-old Melania was most likely being paid to go to certain events, with her rate for an appearance possibly “has gone up” since there's much scrutiny when it comes to Natalie constantly being around her 80-year-old POTUS hubby.
“We know too that — it’s been reported — that Melania gets paid for showing up at events when they were on the campaign trail, which is crazy to think that you have to pay your own wife to show up somewhere,” Sarah, who served as the press secretary during Trump's first-term from 2016 until 2020, explained.
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Sarah shared her perspective during her appearance on the MeidasTouch’s On Sunday podcast.
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There she spotlighted Melania's detachment from her first lady role as she's presumably embarrassed from the several reports concerning Trump's relationship with Natalie, who's been dominating headlines after the unsettling letters the latter wrote to Melania's commander-in-chief husband was publicized.
“I wonder if her rate has gone up after all this news,” Sarah said on the podcast, adding, “I’m sure (Melania) doesn’t like any of this being out there, whether or not there is something inappropriate going on between Trump and Natalie Harp."
Melania attended husband President Donald Trump's Grand Prix event on Sunday, August 23
"I don’t think so (but) I think it’s a bizarre relationship. I can guarantee she doesn’t like that being out there in the news," Sarah continued.
Before the Sunday race, Melania was first seen for the first time in 32 days at the White House event last Thursday, marking her 40th public appearance in the entire year of 2026, the Daily Beast reported. Melania's Rose Garden appearance was to promote the expansion of her Fostering the Future Initiative. At thart event, she joked about not being seen much.
Melania has been rarely seen in public until now -Credit:Getty Images
“I heard you missed me. Here I am,” the Slovenian former model shared. “Here I am!” Sarah noted that Melania might have wanted to appear at the White House on behalf of the initiative because she's passionate about improving the lives of foster children; however, she claimed the timing "was suspect.”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
