By
Margaret Hartmann,
senior editor for Intelligencer who has worked at New York since 2012
Earlier this year, Melania Trump described herself as a “visionary” who is “often alone at the top,” suggesting that’s the way she likes it. “In solitude, my creative mind dances, filling my imagination with originality,” she explained.
While Melania’s creative brilliance was not evident in her memoir or documentary, she has indisputably revolutionized the role of First Lady. We have all become so accustomed to her lengthy absences that amid all the Natalie Harp chatter, questions like “Where’s Melania?” and “What does she think about Donald Trump’s unnervingly devoted aide?” feel like an afterthought. When you see headlines about a woman who’s constantly by the president’s side, the First Lady doesn’t immediately spring to mind.
