Melania Trump breaks social distancing, walks arm-in-arm with soldier amid divorce rumours

Internet has erupted over a new photo of Melania Trump ignoring social distancing as she walked arm-in-arm with a serviceman.

File Photo

WASHINGTON: Internet has erupted over a new photo of United States First Lady Melania Trump ignoring social distancing as she walked arm-in-arm with a serviceman and stood away from the President during November 11's Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony, a Daily Mail report said. It is to be noted that this was Trump's first outing ever since the US presidential election loss. 

The First Lady, 50, was escorted by the masked military man and sheltered under an umbrella with him during the visit to Arlington National Cemetery, on Donald Trump's first public engagement since the election was called for Joe Biden. 

Neither Melania, 50, nor president Donald Trump, 74, were wearing masks at the cemetery, unlike Trump's daughter Ivanka who had a face covering on. Mike Pence's wife also stood at a distance from him in what appeared to be a part of protocol for the socially distanced ceremony. 

But that has not stopped opponents of the Trumps speculating about a rift between Melania and her husband. Unlike last year's visit to Arlington on Veterans Day, when Melania had stood closer to her President husband, this year she continued to hold on to the soldier's arm throughout the service.

This comes amid rumours spread by a former Trump aide Omarosa Manigault Newman that the couple's marriage could end in divorce when their term in the White House ends in January. According to Newman, "Melania is counting every minute until he is out of office and she can divorce. If Melania were to try to pull the ultimate humiliation and leave while he's in office, he would find a way to punish her."

However, Melania appeared to back her husband on Sunday by talking about illegal votes on Twitter, a reference to the Donald Trump's unfounded claims of election fraud.