US President Donald Trump departed for a three-day state visit to China on Tuesday without first lady Melania Trump, travelling instead with Cabinet officials and business executives in a delegation that contrasts sharply with the pageantry of his 2017 visit.
Hours before his departure, the office of the first lady confirmed Melania’s no-show in an email response to the South China Morning Post. “First lady Melania Trump is not travelling this time,” a spokesperson said.
The confirmation comes a day after the SCMP reported that Brett Ratner, the director of the documentary Melania, is travelling to China as part of the Trump delegation.
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Melania Trump accompanied the US president during his last trip to China in 2017. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Tuesday, President Trump boarded Air Force One with a large entourage, including his son Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
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