Donald Trump has been forced to sit quietly in court twice in recent weeks to hear felony charges leveled against him and on both occasions has sought solace in the company of family, friends and his devoted followers.
But one high-profile supporter of the Republican former president has been conspicuous by her absence: his wife, Melania.
Trump gave himself up to US Marshals in Miami on Tuesday to be arraigned on a slew of federal charges over his alleged mishandling of government secrets since leaving the White House. The ex-president took a sizable entourage - the motorcade to the courthouse was made up of six SUVs - and crowds of Trump loyalists converged with brightly colored banners and messages of solidarity.
But his wife was nowhere to be seen, raising eyebrows among Trump-watchers by declining to accompany him to the courthouse or even release a supportive statement from a distance.
"Americans are used to seeing political wives literally standing by their men in times of scandal and crisis," said Katherine Jellison, a history professor at Ohio University who specializes in US first ladies. "So Melania's physical absence during her husband's recent public appearances is particularly noticeable."
