Melania Trump Absent Again As Husband Donald Attends UFC Event With His Daughter Ivanka
By Favour Adegoke on March 10, 2024 at 1:15 PM EDT
Donald Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, attended Miami's UFC 299 event just hours after his rally in Georgia.
His wife, Melania, was conspicuously absent from the live show, although she recently appeared at the former president's dinner with the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban.
Despite Melania's absence, Trump looked happy at the UFC event and even praised founder Dana White for his hard work.
Donald Trump Attends UFC 299 With Daughter Ivanka
Just hours after another successful rally in Rome, Georgia, Donald Trump flew into Miami for a UFC 299 event: the Sean O'Malley-Marklon Vera fight. He was joined to watch the fight by his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and the UFC Founder, Dana White.
Trump and Ivanka smiled widely as they were welcomed into the venue, but many also expected to see the former president's wife, Melania Trump, who was notably absent.
UFC 299 was CRAZY!! Trump is the People's Champ! With a squad @realDonaldTrump @patrickbetdavid @stevewilldoit @IvankaTrump #UFC299 #Trump pic.twitter.com/rk61yjueNO
— GGLoadedTots (@Ggtots1) March 10, 2024
Despite Melania's absence, Trump and Ivanka received massive applause from the crowd at the UFC match while a Kid Rock song played in the background.
It's just another event with her husband that former First Lady Melania has missed, such as Trump's victory speech after his success on Super Tuesday, which cinched him the Republican spot as the presidential candidate in the upcoming elections.
Donald Trump Praises Dana White For His Work In The UFC
#UFC299: #PresidentTrump ringside for the #mainevent with #DanaWhite #IvankaTrump #UFC299Live #UFC #MiamiFlorida #DonaldTrump #Potus45 #Holland #Page #welterweightbout pic.twitter.com/0FkA7QpCbt
— Sn00pster (@sn00pdad) March 10, 2024
Trump looked happy and energetic at the recent UFC event, which is one of the many he's attended. Last year, he visited four events, including UFC 287 and 296, which featured Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington, two fighters who have openly shown their support for him.
At his rally, Trump explained why he likes UFC events so much. He said, "It's the closest thing I can see really reflective of the election process that we have in this country, the UFC fights. That may be a little tamer than the election business…"
Trump also praised Dana White for doing a "great job" with the UFC and its events. He joked: "I hope he doesn't run for office against me. He's done a fantastic job. It's an easier business than politics."
The former president had several supporters at the show in Miami, including Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy. Portnoy recently switched over to Trump's side after previously backing Nikki Haley's campaign for the GOP presidential nomination.
Melania Supported Her Husband During A Dinner With The Hungarian Prime Minister
Melania hasn't been completely absent from all of Trump's important events. The Slovenian-born former model attended a recent dinner with her husband, who played host to the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban.
The formal dinner was held at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, and photos published showed Melania smiling and talking with guests while rocking an all-white power suit.
Orban later posted photos and footage of the night on his Instagram page, including a shot of Melania with the caption, "Pretty Woman." He even presented her with a large bouquet of flowers, which took the former First Lady by surprise.
Orban also posted a video of him and his staff meeting Trump and his staff and of his tour around Mar-a-Lago. The last video Orban shared online showed Trump praising the prime minister and calling him a "fantastic leader."
Trump said: "He's a noncontroversial figure because he says, 'This is the way it's going to be,' and that's the end of it. Right? He's the boss."
The Former First Lady Has Avoided Most Of Her Husband's Campaign Events
Since Trump left the White House in early 2021, Melania has significantly reduced her public appearances.
She's been absent from all his campaign rallies as he fought for the Republican nomination and various court appearances for different trials.
Before her recent outings, Melania's last official appearance at the 77-year-old's side was in November 2022, when Trump announced that he was campaigning for the 2024 Presidential elections.
However, despite her absence from rallies and trials, Melania accompanied her husband to the Trumpette's gala on February 11 this year, putting to bed rumors of a strained marriage.
The 53-year-old looked stunning at the event, which was also held at the businessman's Mar-a-Lago estate.