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- Melania Trump's former aides said it wasn't entirely clear how she spent her time in the White House.
- One aide told The Washington Post that Trump might have been online shopping.
- Former President Trump has said he likes the air of mystery around his wife.
Melania Trump's former top aides said there was an air of mystery to how she spent her time in the White House.
"It was a mystery," Stephanie Grisham, the former first lady's chief of staff, told The Washington Post.
Grisham, who has since had a falling out with Melania Trump, said it was thought the first lady might have spent some of her time online shopping or reading magazines.
In her book, Grisham wrote that the first lady did not want to issue a statement during the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot because of an ongoing photoshoot about decorative items for a potential coffee table book.
The first lady, Grisham told The Post, didn't understand the appeal of smaller scale events that are historically part of a presidential spouse's public profile.
Trump didn't "understand that something like a ribbon cutting would make people's day and get her out in the news," Grisham said.
In a lengthy profile published Friday morning, The Post explored the mystery around Melania Trump, including her decision not to join former President Donald Trump in the courtroom during his legal fights and to largely stay away from early 2024 campaigning.
Trump himself has suggested that he likes the aura that surrounds his wife.
"I think part of the beauty is that mystery," the former president recently told Megyn Kelly when asked about his wife.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. In a statement to The Post, a representative tried to cast doubt on the report.
"There will always be those who seek relevance and financial gain by inserting themselves into stories," spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement to The Post. "Mrs. Trump has always been and will always be focused on her family, as it is her number one priority. Any reports claiming to have insight into her life should be read with caution."