Speculation swirls as first lady absent from Beijing summit

First Lady Melania Trump did not accompany President Donald Trump to Beijing for his high-stakes three-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump traveled with his cabinet, son Eric, daughter-in-law Lara, and 16 corporate CEOs, reports The Daily Beast.

"First Lady Melania Trump is not traveling this time," Melania's spokesperson communicated hours before the President left for China, without adding an explanation or providing details when pressed.

The absence marks the latest development in what insiders describe as a growing rift between the first couple. Melania has been increasingly breaking with her husband and charting her own course, according to reporting by the Daily Beast.

The publication also notes that last month, Melania blindsided Trump and White House aides by holding a surprise press conference to deny ties to deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, reportedly reviving a scandal Trump wanted to contain.

Throughout Trump's second term, Melania has been noticeably absent from the White House and appears less frequently on state visits alongside the President.

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