For Donald Trump, the campaign to return to the White House is a family affair.
His media-shy wife Melania made a dramatic return at his side for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday, while his sons Donald Jr. and Eric have been ubiquitous at the gathering all week.
Even his granddaughter, 17-year-old Kai Trump, made a speech, as the former president’s family has offered a way to soften his image in the aftermath of his recent convictions and other legal woes.
It was the elusive Melania’s first public showing alongside her husband since he was almost killed in an assassination attempt at a rally last Saturday — though she did issue a fiery statement soon after the shooting.
Melania had also been largely absent in recent months from Trump’s political life, but drew wild cheers as she entered the convention hall, solo and dressed in red, minutes before his big showstopper speech.
“I am deeply honored to be accompanied by my wonderful wife, Melania,” Trump said from the stage.
Prior to Thursday, Melania had not accompanied the former president on the campaign trails, nor at court appearances in a New York criminal case that saw him convicted of covering up hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleged she had a sexual encounter with the real estate tycoon.
“She’s a complete enigma,” said Natasha Lindstaedt, a political scientist at the University of Essex, adding that the former model did not “play the typical role” of a former first lady.
“Although she seemed to share similar views to Trump on a lot of issues… she has a very conservative worldview, she doesn’t seem to care that much what people think and kind of does her own thing.”
On Thursday she finally arrived at her husband’s side on stage, at the end of his hour-and-a-half speech.
As balloons tumbled around them, the pair exchanged an awkward kiss and held hands.
Three generations
During Trump’s first term in office between 2017 and 2021, Donald Jr. and Eric helped him make key decisions, and they now work to ensure the party leadership is stocked with loyal allies.
Most recently, their input helped tip Trump towards picking Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate, a new addition to the inner circle.
“J.D. Vance and Don Jr. are very close. So he chose someone that maybe reminds him of his son or is close to his son,” Lindstaedt told AFP.
Like wagons hitched to their father’s train, Donald Jr., Eric and daughter Ivanka have been pulled along to success, along with their friends and families.
Lindstaedt pointed to two examples of Trump spouses achieving power: Eric Trump’s wife Lara Trump, who was recently appointed co-chair of the Republican National Committee, and Ivanka’s husband Jared Kushner, who Trump appointed as an advisor and entrusted with figuring out peace in the Middle East.
“Suddenly people who have no expertise, no training, no ethics training, maybe they’re not even going properly through security clearances, are given access to the most powerful positions,” Lindstaedt said.
“And we see when this happens in non-democracies and dictatorships, how it usually goes very badly.”
Natalie Koch, who researches geopolitics and authoritarianism at Syracuse University, said Trump’s nepotism is nothing new.
“The Trump organization is a family business, but once he took office the first time, and then you could really see that he brought that into the political realm and into the White House,” Koch told AFP.
Children’s roles
Each of Trump’s children has been entrusted with different duties during this campaign.
Don Jr., 46, promotes his father’s far-right “Make America Great Again” ideology. At the convention, he highlighted the image of his father raising his fist after the assassination attempt last weekend.
Eric, 40, has doubled down on Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was rigged. He told the convention — without evidence — that Democrats plan to win this year’s election fraudulently.
Ivanka, 42, played a role in Trump’s administration but has since devoted herself to personal matters.
Tiffany, 30, also attended the convention.
The ex-president’s grandchildren also played a role at the Republican gathering.
Trump held his youngest granddaughter, Carolina, on his lap as her father Eric spoke earlier on Thursday.
On Wednesday night Trump’s eldest granddaughter Kai won over the crowd with a glowing description of a “very caring and loving” family patriarch.
“He’s just a normal grandpa, he gives us candy and soda when our parents aren’t looking,” she said.
The teenage daughter of Donald Jr. spoke of their shared love of golf, even when the former president tries to psych her out when playing against her.
“I don’t let him get to me, but I have to remind him I’m a Trump, too,” she said.