Melania Trump not slated for speaking role at RNC
This week's Republican National Convention has been a long-awaited event on the political calendar this year, and it has taken on even more importance in the wake of the horrific assassination attempt Saturday on the GOP's presumptive nominee.
However, as voters and pundits alike prepare to review the roster of Republican all-stars set to appear over the course of several days, former first lady Melania Trump's name has been left off the list of anticipated speakers, as the Daily Mail reports.
Republican luminaries head for Milwaukee
Though Mrs. Trump's appearance as a featured speaker would certainly be met with the warmest of welcomes and the wildest applause, as things currently stand, she is not slated to take to the podium during the proceedings.
Also absent from the speakers' list is former first daughter Ivanka Trump, who has stepped aside from politics in recent years despite having played a significant role in her father's administration.
That is not to say that the Trump family will stay under the radar during the RNC, however, as there is a substantial number of family members set to take the stage and help the former president articulate the party's vision for America.
Former first sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are both set to make remarks before the assembled delegates and journalists, as are current RNC co-chair Lara Trump and former media personality Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is engaged to Trump Jr.
Current lawmakers set to speak include Reps. Matt Gaetz, Ronny Jackson, Anna Paulina Luna, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, as well as Sens. J.D. Vance, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and a host of other notables from the worlds of entertainment, advocacy, and broadcasting.
Melania's poignant words
Even if Mrs. Trump does not offer remarks during the convention, she has already made her powerful presence known over the weekend by way of a statement issued in the aftermath of the attempt on her husband's life.
As CBS News reports, the former first lady released a heartfelt statement in which she articulated her thoughts on the terrifying ordeal that unfolded in Pennsylvania over the weekend.
Mrs. Trump explained, “When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband.”
“To the families of the innocent victims who are now suffering from this heinous act, I humbly offer my sincerest sympathy. Your need to summon your inner strength for such a terrible reason saddens me,” she added.
Offering wisdom that many hope will carry through the convention as it progresses this week, Mrs. Trump nobly urged the nation to “ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence,” and her words may end up being the most powerful of all, regardless of where they were delivered.
