Where Is Melania Trump? First Lady Throws Party In White House Despite Not Wanting To Fulfill Duties

Influential women and the wives of politicians throughout Washington, D.C., were likely surprised to receive invitations to a White House party this week put on by Melania Trump and marking International Women’s Day Wednesday.

They may not have expected to be dining side-by-side with the elusive first lady anytime soon, as she has reportedly been reluctant to taking on her new duties and refused to move into the White House during President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office. She instead was residing in her $100-million NYC penthouse with her 10-year-old son, Barron Trump.

Read: Is Melania Trump A Good First Lady? White House Lies About Her First Trip To Children’s Hospital In NYC

But Wednesday marked a significant day for women domestically and worldwide, following Trump’s order last week proclaiming March 2017 as women’s history month. It also coincided with Melania Trump’s promised mission in office, as the first lady previously said "women’s issues, women’s difficulties" will be among the top priorities her office would focus on during her tenure in the White House.

Melania Trump has had a slow introduction to the political limelight her husband’s presidency now casts a light on the first family. She has rarely spoken to news outlets throughout the 2016 presidential campaign and since her husband took the presidency Nov. 8. She’s continued living in New York City, only infrequently joining the president during his weekend getaways to the first family’s luxury Florida estate, Mar-A-Lago.

Trump has declined to oversee the White House cooking and entertainment staff – a typical function of any first lady – and has only spent several days inside her husband’s new home, planning February’s governor’s ball, while answering one question from Fox News during an exclusive tour of the building led by the president.

The first lady will reportedly be front-and-center during Wednesday’s White House luncheon celebrating International Women’s Day, along with Ivanka Trump, the first daughter and business mogul who has reportedly had a notable influence in the president’s administration and policy agenda.

But for Melania Trump, White House parties organized by the first lady shouldn’t include talk of politics whatsoever. The first lady released a statement ahead of the governor’s ball Feb. 26, saying, "tonight, we come together as one nation, leaving political labels and partisan interests behind."

Melania Trump will reportedly return to New York City following this week’s White House activities.