'It must feel humiliating': Questions raised about Melania's disappearing act

With the Associated Press reporting that former first lady Melania Trump was nowhere to be seen at the first presidential debate in Atlanta just over a week ago, more questions are being raised about how much she will be involved in her husband's bid to return to the White House.

As AP reported, Melania was recently pressed about her role in the campaign at Trump's election kick-off, only to tell reporters, "Stay tuned."

However, the report notes she has been nowhere to be seen, "The former first lady noticeably did not accompany the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on any of the days of his more than monthlong hush money trial in New York. She was not there last month for the guilty verdict or the following day for his remarks at Trump Tower. She also did not appear June 14 at a 78th birthday party organized for Trump by his fan club, or at any of the campaign rallies he has held in recent months."

Her continuing absence led Forbes to report, "Several analysts suggest the former first lady might also be planning to take a step back from political life if Donald Trump wins a second presidential term."

RELATED: Melania 'distancing herself' from Trump and probably won't return to White House: report

On Sunday, in an opinion column for the Daily Beast, writer Nell Scovell speculated that there is more to her vanishing act than a distaste for campaigning and standing by her husband's side as he deals with his legal problems.

As she notes, the former first lady has been participating in Trump fundraisers including one scheduled for Monday at Trump Tower, but those still keep her out of the prying eyes of the public.

Scovell also wrote that the former president has been pressed about her absences, telling NBC's Kristen Welker, "at the appropriate time—she’ll be out there.”

With the 2024 campaign now in high gear, that now leads to questions of where is she?

"It must feel humiliating. Still, Trump needs Melania’s support to win. He knows it. She knows it. And right now, she has the leverage to decide when and where she will campaign—and, presumably, how much money will flow from Trump’s PAC into her bank account for each appearance," Scovell wrote before speculating, "If Melania drags her heels about returning to the White House, Trump could become the first sitting president to get a divorce."

It would not be his first one.

"Trump’s marriage to Ivana, the mother of his three eldest children, lasted about 15 years. His marriage to Marla Maples lasted less than five. Melania married Trump in 2005 so the 54-year-old former model has already put in 19 hard years," the columnist added.

You can read more here.