Mysterious payment to Melania Trump raises eyebrows after Donald Trump’s wife makes rare campaign appearance

Melania Trump’s recent and exceedingly rare appearance on behalf of her husband’s US presidential campaign came at a surprising price.

Melania Trump’s recent and exceedingly rare appearance on behalf of her husband’s US presidential campaign came with a hefty price tag.

The revelation that Mrs Trump received $US238,000 (about $350,000) for a few hours’ work at a fundraiser for former US president Donald Trump has, it might be said, raised eyebrows.

The spouses of American presidential candidates do not typically expect to be paid for the time they spend on campaign events, any more than the candidates themselves.

Yet Mrs Trump, who is currently promoting her new memoir, simply titled Melania, was reportedly rewarded quite richly for her recent “speaking engagement” with the Log Cabin Republicans, a group of politically conservative LGBTQ+ activists, back in April.

It was one of the few public appearances Mrs Trump has made on her husband’s behalf during the 2024 election cycle, having been more visible in his previous campaigns.

Mrs Trump was present at the Republican National Convention in July. But she has not accompanied the former president to any of his campaign rallies.

Mr Trump kisses Mrs Trump on stage at the Republican convention. Picture: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images via AFP

The most recent financial disclosures from Mr Trump’s presidential campaign revealed the $350,000 payment to his wife for the event, according to CNN.

However it’s unclear who, exactly, paid her, given the president of the Log Cabin Republicans has previously said his organisation did not give her money in exchange for speaking.

Stephanie Grisham, who served as White House press secretary and communications director under Mr Trump, and then became Mrs Trump’s chief of staff, is now opposed to the Trumps. CNN invited her to speculate about the payment.

“She’s been so disconnected with this campaign and so absent that I could see her saying, ‘If I’m going to put my time in, I will get paid for this,’” said Ms Grisham.

“Even when we were in the White House, she was always so concerned about people making money off of her because she felt it was money she should be earning.”

The Trumps at the Republican convention. Picture: Angela Weiss/AFP

Mrs Trump’s main focus in recent weeks has been her book, which releases early next month, a few short weeks before the presidential election.

She has also been selling, among other things, Christmas ornaments to her fans, though the festive season is still multiple months away.

“Each unique piece captures the magic of the holiday season,” she wrote in one social media post unveiling “2024’s limited ornament series”.

“Let these ornaments inspire cherished memories and bring warmth to your entire family. Happy collecting!” Mrs Trump said.

Earlier this month, Mrs Trump spoke out against “efforts to silence” her husband in a promotional video for the new book.

A still from one of Mrs Trump’s social media videos promoting her book.

“The 2020 election result changed our lives forever,” she said, referring both to her own family and the broader American public.

“It impacted our quality of life, cost of food, gasoline, safety, and even the geopolitical landscape.

“America is more divided today than ever before. It has become increasingly apparent that there are significant challenges to free speech, as demonstrated by the efforts to silence my husband.”

Mrs Trump has also made public remarks, recently, defending her former modelling work, particularly images in which she posed naked.

“Why do I stand proudly behind my nude modelling work?” she said.

“The more pressing question is, why has the media chosen to scrutinise my celebration of the human form in a fashion photo-shoot?

“Are we no longer able to appreciate the beauty of the human body?

“Throughout history, master artists have revered the human shape, evoking profound emotions and admiration. We should honour our bodies and embrace the timeless tradition of using art as a powerful means of self-expression.”

Another still from one of Mrs Trump’s promotional videos.

Mrs Trump married the former president in 2005, when he was a billionaire real estate developer and host of the reality TV series The Apprentice.

They share a son together, Barron, 18. Mr Trump’s other children Donald Jr, Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany are from his previous two marriages to Ivana Trump and Marla Maples.

“Writing this memoir has been a deeply personal and reflective journey for me,” Mrs Trump said in another social media video promoting the book.

“As a private person who has often been the subject of public scrutiny and misrepresentation, I feel a responsibility to clarify the facts.

“I believe it is important to share my perspective, the truth.”