Trump Solo: First Lady, Children Out of Frame in New Term 

US First Lady Melania Trump (L) and President Donald Trump attend the 2025 Easter Egg Roll event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, USA 21 April 2025. (EPA)
US First Lady Melania Trump (L) and President Donald Trump attend the 2025 Easter Egg Roll event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, USA 21 April 2025. (EPA)
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Trump Solo: First Lady, Children Out of Frame in New Term 

US First Lady Melania Trump (L) and President Donald Trump attend the 2025 Easter Egg Roll event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, USA 21 April 2025. (EPA)
US First Lady Melania Trump (L) and President Donald Trump attend the 2025 Easter Egg Roll event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, USA 21 April 2025. (EPA)

First Lady Melania Trump, relatively out of public view during her husband's first term, has been even more off-grid this time around.

In the first 100 days since Donald Trump returned to office, the first lady has appeared at only a handful of public events. It is unclear how many days she has even spent in Washington.

Trump's other family members have similarly been missing from the White House, but most are not shying away from the public spotlight.

Here is a look at what Trump's family is -- or isn't -- up to early in his second term:

- Whither Melania? -

When the president has returned from Florida -- where he spends nearly every weekend -- it is neither the first lady nor any other family member exiting the helicopter with him, but often his billionaire aide Elon Musk and Musk's young son.

Apart from fueling further speculation of marital strife, Melania Trump's absence from this weekly ritual highlights what Ohio University history professor Katherine Jellison calls a "major and very noticeable" shift from precedent.

"She's quite different from every first lady for a couple of generations at least, more than a couple of generations. I would have to go all the way back to Bess Truman in the late '40s and early '50s to find such a low-profile first lady," Jellison told AFP.

"Weeks and weeks go by and the American public doesn't really see her."

So what has she been up to? The public may eventually get a glimpse via a documentary series she is filming with Amazon, under a contract reportedly worth tens of millions of dollars.

Jaded by the critiques of her previous tenure as first lady, Melania Trump, 54, seems determined to "get the upper hand and have more control over her public image," Jellison said.

"I think the American people in general still feel they don't know her, and maybe this... is her attempting to tell us who she is, but on her own terms."

- Older Kids -

During Donald Trump's first term, his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner held important White House advisory roles -- but not this time.

Ivanka has stated she wants to spend more time with her children, while Jared is managing a private equity fund.

Elder sons Don Jr. and Eric continue to run the Trump family business, which now includes, controversially, a growing cryptocurrency portfolio.

Unlike Ivanka, they both frequently take to social media to tout their father's MAGA agenda.

Don Jr. -- known for his ability to tap into the Trump base -- is especially vocal and hosts a twice-weekly podcast, "Triggered," which recently had Secretary of State Marco Rubio as an "exclusive guest."

Eric's wife Lara Trump, who co-led the national Republican Party during last year's campaign, now hosts a weekly Fox News show. It also frequently includes administration officials as guests.

The Trump family has continued to "capitalize on their roles as the First Family," Jellison said, in what previously would have been considered "quite taboo behavior."

Meanwhile, Tiffany Trump -- the president's only child with his second wife Marla Maples -- is expecting a child with husband Michael Boulos, and has remained out of the spotlight.

The president has, however, tapped Michael's wealthy father Massad Boulos, a Lebanese-born businessman with extensive experience in Nigeria, to be his senior advisor for Africa, and an advisor on Middle Eastern affairs.

- Generation Z -

Barron, the president's only child with Melania, has grown up a lot since his father's first term.

The 19-year-old, now a towering six-foot-seven-inches (2.01 meters), is studying business at New York University. He won MAGA admirers with his brief inauguration appearances, but has since remained out of public view.

Donald Trump's camp has credited Barron's advice on new media, such as podcasts and TikTok, as helping him win over young men voters.

Kai Trump, daughter of Don Jr. and ex-wife Vanessa Trump, has a growing social media following, especially on TikTok.

The 17-year-old, who notably spoke at last year's Republican National Convention, posts frequent video blogs showing her life as an amateur golfer, as well as sharing behind-the-scenes moments with "grandpa."



Spain and Portugal Continue to Battle Storm Leonardo as New Storm Approaches

 A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)
A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)
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Spain and Portugal Continue to Battle Storm Leonardo as New Storm Approaches

 A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)
A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)

Storm Leonardo continued to batter the Iberian Peninsula on Friday, bringing floods and putting rivers at risk of bursting their banks while thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Spain and Portugal.

In southern Spain's Andalusia region, some 7,000 people have had to leave their homes due to successive storms.

Among them were around 1,500 people ordered to evacuate the mountain village of Grazalema, where Andalusia's regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno warned that aquifers were "full to the brim with water,” and at risk of collapsing.

“It's raining on already saturated ground. The land is unable to drain," Moreno said. “We urge extreme caution. This is not over.”

Spanish police said Friday they had found a body located 1,000 meters (about 0.6 miles) away from where a woman had disappeared Wednesday after she fell into a river in Malaga province while trying to rescue her dog. Police said they had not yet identified the body, but believed it belonged to the 45-year-old woman.

Another storm front, Marta, was expected to arrive Saturday, with Spain's weather agency AEMET saying it would bring even more rain and heavy winds, including to areas already drenched by Storm Leonardo.

Marta is expected to affect Portugal, too.

Of particular concern was southern Spain's Guadalquivir River, which flows through Córdoba and Seville and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean, and whose water levels have dramatically risen in recent days.

Additional rain Saturday could leave many more homes at risk in Córdoba, local authorities warned.

In Portugal, parts of Alcacer do Sal were submerged after the Sado River overflowed, forcing residents to leave the city located 90 kilometers (about 56 miles) south of Lisbon.

Alerts were issued also for regions near the Tagus River due to rising water levels.

A separate storm in late January left a trail of destruction in Portugal, killing several people, according to Portuguese authorities.


AROYA Cruises Debuts Arabian Gulf Voyages for 2026

AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA
AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA
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AROYA Cruises Debuts Arabian Gulf Voyages for 2026

AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA
AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA

AROYA Cruises, a subsidiary of the PIF-owned Cruise Saudi, has officially launched its inaugural season in the Arabian Gulf.

Running from February 21 to May 8, the season marks a milestone in regional tourism by blending authentic Saudi hospitality with international maritime standards, SPA reported.

AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options.

The season is designed to provide guests with a dynamic way to explore the Gulf, setting a new benchmark for luxury travel that reflects the Kingdom's heritage on a global stage.


Snowstorm Brings Much of Denmark to a Halt

A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026.  EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen
A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen
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Snowstorm Brings Much of Denmark to a Halt

A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026.  EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen
A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen

Denmark authorities halted public transport, closed schools and cancelled flights on Friday as heavy snowfall blanketed much of the country.

The Nordic country's meteorological institute DMI warned that heavy snow would likely continue until Friday evening in the east, where the capital Copenhagen is located.

Police said people should avoid going outdoors unless necessary and stay indoors in the capital and the surrounding region.

Copenhagen's airport cancelled flights to Paris and Berlin and warned of "delay and cancellation risks because of snowy conditions." Many schools were closed.

In the second-largest city of Aarhus, bus services were cancelled.