Why Melania Trump didn't join Donald Trump's China trip - and her key role later in 2026

First Lady Melania Trump did not join US President Trump on his high-stakes visit to China , as she remains committed to her duties prioritising "America's families and children" back home in the United States, a source has told NBC News. Melania's absence from the US delegation during the President's meeting with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, has sparked curiosity and left many wondering about the First Lady's whereabouts. Although she did accompany her husband on his 2017 trip to China, this time the US President travels with a number of senior US officials and several high-profile CEOs instead. Meanwhile, the American First Lady has stayed in Washington DC to mark the 180-day milestone since her husband signed the Fostering the Future Executive Order, an order that honours one of the First Lady's flagship initiatives to support children in state care. A source close to the trip told the Washington Post that the First Lady was never scheduled to attend, even before it was delayed from its original date due to the US conflict in Iran, reports the Express . "The First Lady has prioritised America's families and children in her initiatives here at home and is focused on these responsibilities at the present time," the source said. She will, however, be on hand to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to the White House in September when the pair make a reciprocal visit to the US. MELANIA documentary director Brett Ratner has joined the US President on his China trip for 2026 as part of the US delegation, yet another addition to the state visit that has raised eyebrows. A source told the Post that the First Lady was unaware that the director would be travelling on Air Force One to Beijing. Ratner, 57, joins a host of business associates who accompanied Trump on his trip to China on Wednesday, alongside outgoing Apple chief Tim Cook and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Ratner - who had not worked in Hollywood since 2017 after being accused of sexual misconduct by six women - made his comeback by co-producing Melania's documentary, which was purchased by Amazon for $75 million. The film follows Melania during the 20 days leading up to the 2025 presidential inauguration as she prepared to resume her role as First Lady. Also present on the 2026 China tour are Trump's son Eric and his daughter-in-law Lara. Lara recently shared a photograph featuring several members of the delegation, which included a woman many might not immediately recognise. However, people are likely far more familiar with her work than they might think. The blonde woman pictured appears to be Natalie Harp, Trump's executive assistant. According to the Wall Street Journal, she is the driving force behind Trump's posts on Truth Social and is sometimes the person actually publishing the content. During a flurry on Monday, his account churned out 17 posts within a single hour, including a string of reshares from his own supporters lauding him as the "greatest president ever." In total, the account published 55 messages between 10.14pm and 1.12am.