All eyes were on Trump's aide - and then Melania appeared: "I heard you missed me"

The First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, returned yesterday (Thursday) to the public arena after an absence of more than a month, appearing alongside President Donald Trump at an event in the White House Rose Garden. Melania, whose last public appearance was at the World Cup final on July 19, addressed her absence herself, opening her remarks with a smile: "Good afternoon. I heard you missed me. Here I am."

The event was intended to promote the First Lady's "Fostering the Future" initiative, which assists young people aging out of the foster care system. Melania announced that the Fox Corporation and the IndyCar racing organization would jointly donate two million dollars for scholarships at Indiana and Purdue universities, and that the number of institutions participating in the program would increase to 26.

"The greatest investment America can make is not in technology, infrastructure, or capital markets. It is in our children," she said. According to her, "The leaders of tomorrow are sitting in classrooms today, including those growing up in foster families. Their capabilities are no less extraordinary."

The First Lady and the close aide

Melania's return received special attention because it occurred after a week in which the American media extensively discussed Natalie Harp, 35, the special assistant and personal aide to the President, who has become one of the figures closest to Donald Trump. According to the "New York Times," Harp works out of the Oval Office, travels regularly on the presidential helicopter, conveys messages on behalf of the President, and even assists him during the night hours in drafting posts for social media.

She has earned the nickname "the human printer," because she tends to follow Donald Trump with a portable printer and hand him printed articles and posts. Interest in her increased after Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff took a jab at the President, claiming that he prefers "building his ballrooms and traveling with Natalie" instead of doing his job. The remarks sparked a sharp backlash from administration officials and supporters of Donald Trump, who claimed it was a sexist attack. The White House described Harp as "one of the most loyal and hardworking aides on the President's staff."

"From the heart, Natalie"

The "New York Times" also reported that the intensity of Harp's loyalty has caused discomfort among some White House staff. In a personal letter to Donald Trump, she wrote that she wants "everything to always be okay between us," and ended with the words: "From the heart, Natalie." According to the newspaper, Donald Trump himself has previously described Harp to associates as the only person who loves him as much as his wife and children. There is no evidence in the reports of a romantic relationship between the two, and the White House rejects attempts to imply such.

In another letter from Harp revealed by the "Daily Beast," she called the President "my guardian and protector," and in another letter, she defined herself as "unworthy" of him. Against the backdrop of this media buzz, the joint appearance of the Trump couple drew attention beyond the official subject of the event. The President arrived at the Rose Garden holding Melania's hand, escorted her to the podium, and patted her on the back afterward.

The First Lady, for her part, did not address Harp or the reports, preferring to focus on her education program. "Education is the only asset that can never be taken away from a person," she said, "it is the foundation upon which confidence is built, opportunities are created, and the future is invented."