Melania thinks Donald’s hush money trial is a ‘disgrace’ and ‘tantamount to election tampering’

The former first lady’s comments follow a string of absences from her husband’s campaign events

Melania Trump, while noticeably absent from many of her husband’s campaign events, has reportedly voiced her opposition to his hush money trial that began Monday.

In recent private conversations, Ms Trump called the trial “a disgrace” and tantamount to election interference, a source close to the Trumps with direct knowledge of her comments told The New York Times. This report comes on day two of Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York City. Ms Trump has not appeared in court with her husband, saying in private discussions it is “his problem” alone, The New York Times reports.

So far, seven jurors have been selected. Jury selection will continue on Thursday.

Mr Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to conceal a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election to silence her about an alleged affair in 2006.

The charges were misdemeanours but have been elevated to felonies because Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg says they violated state and federal election laws.

Donald Trump, seen in this courtroom sketch during day two of his hush money trial in New York City, faces nearly three dozen counts of falsifying business records (AP)

The former president is the first American president to ever stand trial on criminal charges.

Ms Trump’s support for her husband is particularly poignant given the subject of the trial. Ms Trump was reportedly furious when allegations first emerged that the then-president paid off an adult film star he had reportedly had an affair with, something he continues to deny. She left him alone in Washington DC and rode in a separate car to his 2018 State of the Union address after hearing the news, The New York Times reports.

Meanwhile, Ms Trump has been largely out of the public eye in recent months, missing the majority of campaign events and milestones, including the watch party for her husband’s streak of primary election wins on Super Tuesday. Mr Trump says she’ll make her return on her own terms.

Melania Trump, pictured above with her husband in a rare appearance at Palm Beach, Florida election fundraiser on 13 April, has reportedly voiced her opposition to the trial (AP)

“She’s a private person, a great person, a very confident person, and she loves our country very much. She’ll be — at the appropriate time — she’ll be out there,” Mr Trump said during an interview with Meet the Press in September.

Earlier this year, her mother Amalija Knavs passed away at 78. Mr Trump described Knavs as a “great and beautiful mother” who will be missed by the family.

“This is a very sad night for the entire Trump family!!!” Mr Trump wrote on his social media site, Truth Social. “Melania’s great and beautiful mother, Amalija, has just gone to a beautiful place in the sky. She was an incredible woman, and will be missed far beyond words!”

The former first lady’s attendance at public events appears to be on the rise, however. Ms Trump attended a general election fundraiser in Palm Beach, Florida on Saturday. She is also set to appear at a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser on Saturday for the Log Cabin Republicans, an organisation that labels itself “the nation’s largest Republican organization dedicated to representing LGBT conservatives and allies.”