Is Melania Trump Jealous of Lara Trump? FLOTUS Reportedly Feeling 'Quietly Resentful' After Staying Behind In US

Melania Trump stayed in the US on Wednesday while Donald Trump landed in Beijing for high-stakes talks with China, and now claims surface that the First Lady may be 'quietly resentful' as a daughter-in-law, as Lara Trump steps into the spotlight.

Melania's office confirmed she would not be accompanying the 79-year-old President on his 6,844‑mile round trip, issuing a short statement to the South China Morning Post: 'First Lady Melania Trump is not travelling this time.'

The visit to Beijing has been framed as diplomatically weighty, with expectations of discussions on trade, regional security, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.

In Melania's place, it was Lara, Donald's eldest son, Eric's wife, who joined him on the China tour, immediately fuelling speculation about family dynamics and public roles.

Melania's absence is striking because of how visible she was during Trump's first presidential visit to China in 2017. Then, Chinese officials staged an elaborate welcome, and Melania's schedule was packed. She attended cultural and educational events, appeared at Banchang Primary School alongside Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan, and participated in sessions on calligraphy, astronomy, architecture, cooking, and the Peking opera. This time, she remained in US, with an NBC News source claiming that she wanted to focus on her duties and prioritise 'America's families and children.'

The vacuum has been quickly filled. Lara has appeared at her father‑in‑law's side abroad and, back home, has taken increasingly prominent roles within the Trump political apparatus.

Critics online accused her of mimicking Melania's polished look, right down to the silhouettes and styling, as if she were consciously stepping into an existing role. No evidence has been produced that Lara is deliberately copying Melania; the claims are largely based on side‑by‑side photographs and social media commentary.

Still, the optics were striking enough for Irish Star to ask astrology expert Tracy Higgs how the shift might feel inside the family. Higgs did not claim inside knowledge, but interpreted the situation through the women's star signs. 'Melania Trump, a Taurus, and Lara, a Libra, are two very different personalities when you look at them astrologically,' she said. Taurus energy, she argued, prefers 'stability, privacy, loyalty, and keeping control of the environment around them,' while Libra tends to be 'more social, diplomatic, and comfortable stepping into public roles.'

According to Higgs, that combination can look harmonious in public because 'both signs dislike unnecessary confrontation.' Beneath the surface, though, she suggested there may be tension around 'position, image, and influence.' Her view is that any friction would be less about personal dislike and more about perception. 'Taurus can become territorial, especially when they feel something important to them is being quietly replaced or overlooked,' she said. Libra, by contrast, might 'unintentionally step into spaces that emotionally belong to someone else without fully realising the impact.'

Melania Trump, Lara Trump And A Battle Over Symbolism

Higgs painted Lara as potentially conflicted about the China trip rather than triumphant. With 'Libra energy' that 'hates conflict and dislikes feeling as though they are upsetting the family balance,' Lara would, in her view, present a united and 'polished' face in public yet privately be aware she had entered sensitive territory. 'I do not feel guilt would overwhelm her, but there may be an awareness that comparisons will naturally happen,' Higgs said.

Melania, on the other hand, was described as more likely to internalise any resentment. 'Taurus energy tends to withdraw rather than openly react,' Higgs argued. She did not see Melania as overtly hostile, but suggested there could be an internal sense of 'that should have been my place.' Rather than making scenes, 'Taurus can become quietly stubborn when hurt, and rather than making scenes, they often emotionally detach.'

What Higgs framed as especially important was symbolism. In her view, Melania has never chased constant visibility. 'Melania has always carried an energy of wanting selective involvement rather than constant visibility, so part of her may genuinely not be overly bothered by the travel itself it is more the symbolism of it that could matter,' she concluded.

How Melania Trump Manages Her Public Appearances

Before the latest China trip, another expert, clinical psychologist Dr Tracy King, had already suggested that Melania's increasingly rare public appearances were part of a deliberate strategy rather than a sign of disinterest. Speaking to The Mirror US, King argued that limiting when she is seen helps Melania 'limit how often she is exposed to public scrutiny, reduce the number of situations in which she can be pulled into the daily political circus, and means that when she does appear, the appearance carries more symbolic weight.'

Taken together, the psychological and astrological readings pull in the same direction. Both suggest a woman curating her visibility and, at times, nursing a quiet sense of proprietorial pride in her role. Neither source claims direct access to Melania's private feelings, and their interpretations rest on professional frameworks that readers may or may not find convincing. Nothing about her emotional response to Lara's appearance in China has been confirmed.

What is clear, however, is that Melania's physical absence has made her presence a story again. Lara stands before the cameras in Beijing. The First Lady lingers in the background, as an idea to be compared, defended, or quietly resented depending on who is doing the looking.