First Lady of the United States Melania Trump did not appear at two major events in Washington over several days. She is absent from the funeral of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, which took place on Tuesday, and from the annual White House correspondents’ dinner, which was moved to last Friday. President Donald Trump attended both events—he delivered a speech at the funeral, but his wife did not accompany him. Melania’s absence has raised questions, as these events are considered among the most important political and social gatherings in the capital.
Newsweek reached out to the First Lady’s office to ask for a comment on her absence, but the office declined to comment, without explaining why. At the same time, Fox News, citing the White House, reported that Melania had a previously scheduled meeting, which prevented her from attending the journalists’ dinner on Friday. No details about that meeting were provided. If the “busy schedule” explanation at all accounts for her absence from the dinner, then her failure to attend the senator’s funeral still lacks a clear explanation and continues to draw press attention.
Although Melania did not attend the farewell ceremony, she posted a statement of condolences over Graham’s death. The First Lady wrote that she was “saddened by his sudden death,” praised his “steadfast devotion to the service of the United States,” and extended condolences to his family, friends, and everyone who was moved by his political legacy. This suggests the absence was not linked to any conflict or unwillingness to honor the senator’s memory, though the true reason remains unclear.
Alongside this, Newsweek disclosed information about new threats linked to Iran, adding further tension to the coverage. The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that it is investigating a video published by a media outlet affiliated with the Iranian state. According to available information, the content of the video is “aimed at the First Lady.” Secret Service spokesperson Nate Herring said the agency is aware of the video and is studying any material that could be interpreted as a threat to protected persons. At the same time, operational details from the intelligence are not disclosed.
It is important to emphasize that, according to Newsweek, there are no public signs linking Melania’s absence from the two events to the threats mentioned. No U.S. official has drawn such a connection. As a result, the link between the missed events and security warnings remains unproven. The last time Melania Trump appeared in public was on July 19, when she attended the World Cup soccer final in New Jersey together with the president and their son Barron. Earlier, she was seen at the Independence Day celebration on July 4. Recall that in April she attended the previous journalists’ dinner, which was interrupted by a shooting near the venue, after which everyone was evacuated; the First Lady then missed the repeat dinner.
Comments on the news
Which major Iranian media outlets are considered state-run or affiliated with the authorities, and how often are they used to spread propaganda or threats? - Iran’s main state media include the IRIB broadcasting corporation (including the Press TV channel in English), the state news agency IRNA, the newspaper Kayhan, and the TV channel Jam-e Jam. They are regularly used to broadcast the government’s official line, including propaganda and rhetoric aimed at external opponents. Threats and incitement statements appear in them periodically, especially during periods of heightened tensions, though not all content takes the form of direct threats—some of it is political analysis or news that aligns with the government agenda.
What is the current dynamics of tension between the United States and Iran that could have prompted Tehran to create such a video targeting the First Lady? - Tensions remain high due to unresolved issues involving the nuclear program (the failure of negotiations on the JCPOA), strict U.S. sanctions, and military incidents (for example, strikes on Iranian forces in Syria). After escalation in 2020 (the killing of General Soleimani), Iran has actively used media to exert psychological pressure. A video threatening the First Lady could be part of a propaganda campaign aimed at demonstrating U.S. “weakness” domestically or as a response to anti-Iranian rhetoric by American politicians.
Have there been prior cases where Iranian state media threatened American politicians or members of their families, and how did U.S. authorities respond? - Yes, there have been precedents. For example, in 2020 Iranian media (in particular the Fars agency and Press TV) published threats against Donald Trump after Soleimani was killed, and also aired videos showing a mock assassination of him. In 2022 there were reports of cyberattacks by Iranian hackers on websites connected to the U.S. administration. U.S. authorities typically respond by increasing diplomatic pressure, imposing additional sanctions on Iranian officials and media outlets, and issuing warnings via the UN or intelligence services. U.S. intelligence services (the FBI and the Secret Service) step up protection for public figures after such incidents.
Full version: ميلانيا ترمب تغيب عن مناسبتين مهمتين والبيت الأبيض يلتزم الصمت