Donald Trump turned Melania’s absence into a punchline during his latest overseas trip. The president joked about why the first lady skipped the seven-hour flight to Ireland as aide Natalie Harp joined his delegation.
Donald Trump joked about why Melania skipped the seven-hour flight as Natalie Harp joined his delegation
President Donald Trump joked about First Lady Melania Trump’s absence during his two-day visit to Ireland on September 12, 2026, The Daily Beast reported.
White House Appointments Secretary Natalie Harp, 35, accompanied the president on the trip to meet business leaders and attend the Irish Open golf tournament at his Doonbeg resort.
At the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Dublin, Trump addressed Melania’s decision to skip the seven-hour flight. “My wife is here in spirit. She’s watching right now,” he said. He then recounted their exchange about the trip. “I said, ‘Well, why don’t you come with me?’ She said, ‘Well, it’s a seven-hour trip. Maybe I’m not that friendly,'” he added, drawing laughter. “I said, ‘Put on a Make America Great Again hat and come on. Let’s go.’ But, uh, she sends her regards,” he continued.
The first lady, 56, has maintained a noticeably lighter public schedule than her predecessors. By the end of July, Melania had made only 38 public appearances. Michelle Obama gave 130 speeches in the same 18-month period after entering the White House. Jill Biden delivered 43 appearances during a comparable timeframe.
Melania reemerged publicly in late August to celebrate her Fostering the Future initiative’s expansion. “I heard you missed me. Here I am,” she said at the time.
Harp, a former One America News anchor, began working for Trump in 2022. She earned the nickname “human printer” for fulfilling his every request on the go. Her duties include fetching merchandise, performing Google searches, and suggesting Truth Social posts. She earns a taxpayer-funded salary of $150,000 annually.
Melania’s spokesman Marc Beckman has denied any tension between the first lady and Harp. Reports suggest Melania divides her time between New York and Florida rather than the White House.
