In rare appearance, Melania Trump to headline Mar-a-Lago fundraiser for conservative LGBT group
Former first lady Melania Trump will be headlining a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser later this month for Log Cabin Republicans, the largest organization representing LGBT conservatives in the United States.
It's a rare appearance at a fundraising event by the former first lady, who has mostly stayed away from former President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign trail and instead only occasionally been seen at private events at his properties.
The fundraiser, set for April 20, is for the benefit of Log Cabin Republican's 501(c)(4) nonprofit arm and is not a Trump campaign event. Politico was first to report the news.
It's co-hosted by a slew of longtime Donald Trump allies and prominent Republican donors, including former U.S. ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, who also served as acting director of National Intelligence in the Trump administration, as well as former President of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum Bill White, according to an invitation to the event obtained by ABC News.
Grenell was the first openly gay person to hold a cabinet-level position in the United States.
Late Fox News CEO Roger Ailes' widow Elizabeth Ailes, longtime Republican donor Saul Fox and Deborah Magowan, the wife of former Giants Chairman Peter Magowan, are also among co-hosts, the invitation shows.
According to the invitation, each ticket costs $10,000.
"We're very excited and honored that former first lady Melania Trump will be our guest of honor for this very special evening," said White, one of the co-hosts and a longtime friend of Trump. "She's been very dedicated and extremely supportive of the mission of Log Cabin Republicans, and I think that's a very beautiful message."
"I think it's important to see how many gay conservatives are working so hard to have their voice heard," White continued.
White said he expects that Melania Trump's participation will help make the event a "great success" and will raise significant funds for the Log Cabin Republicans.
Melania Trump has maintained a close relationship with Log Cabin Republicans over the years, headlining their annual gala at Mar-a-Lago in 2021 and receiving the group's Spirit of Lincoln award, for her role in "helping children reach their full potential" and "championing a more inclusive Republican Party."
In 2022, Donald Trump himself headlined Log Cabin Republicans' Spirit of Lincoln gala held at Mar-a-Lago, where he told the audience, "we are fighting for the gay community, and we are fighting and fighting hard."
Last month, Melania Trump made another rare public appearance when she joined her husband at a polling place in Palm Beach, Florida -- her first public appearance with Trump this election cycle.
Asked by a reporter if she would be joining the former president on the campaign trail, the former first lady simply smiled and said, "stay tuned," but nothing more.
In December, Melania Trump delivered remarks at a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives in Washington, but her husband did not attend the event with her.
In a September interview with NBC News, when the former president was asked about his wife campaigning with him, he said she'd be out there "soon" and "at appropriate time," but added he likes to "keep her away."
"She's right now with Barron in school," Donald Trump said. "She loves that boy. She's very popular, she actually is. And she'll be with us. She's very, very supportive."
"Pretty soon, when it's appropriate, but pretty soon," he added. "She's a private person, a great person, very confident person. And she loves our country very much. She'll be -- she'll be at the appropriate time."
