Melania ‘bitter and chilly’ with Trump and spending ‘hours’ in the spa, report says

Melania Trump has been “bitter and chilly” towards her husband, Donald Trump, since leaving the White House and has spent most of her time relaxing in Mar-A- Lago’s spa, CNN has reported.

Ms Trump, who appeared cheerful when leaving Washington behind on Inauguration Day last month, is apparently making the most of civilian life and has left much of the politics of the presidency behind.

"She goes to the spa, has lunch, goes to the spa (again) and has dinner with Donald on the patio," a person familiar with her schedule told CNN. "Rinse and repeat. Every day."

"She almost always does dinner," another source who has seen Ms Trump outside the spa said, adding that she is sometimes joined by her parents and often chooses fish for an entrée.

However, despite the opportunity for relaxation, the former first lady is reportedly “bitter and chilly” at times with her husband over the impact on her image of their contentious departure from Washington.

"She could see how it was going to go for her," one former White House official reportedly told CNN while discussing her delayed reaction following the 6 January attack on the Capitol.

The former first lady waited five days before speaking out in condemnation of the violence at the Capitol and used her statement to defend herself against “salacious gossip” and “unwarranted personal attacks”.

"Once (the insurrection) happened, she knew there was nothing to gain for her by speaking out or doing something – so she didn’t do anything," the former White House official told CNN.

The Independent has contacted the Trump organisation for comment.

After a relatively private and at times controversial term as first lady, Ms Trump left DC with one of the worst approval ratings for any modern first lady, according to polling conducted by SSRS for CNN.

Ms Trump never did an interview with a national outlet as first lady, choosing “not to do press as a defense mechanism,” former aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who wrote a tell-all book about Ms Trump, told the outlet.

She had reportedly planned on attending Joe Biden’s Inauguration and only found out that she would not be after a post on her husband’s Twitter indicated otherwise, the report claims.

Both Ms Trump and Mr Trump left Washington early on Inauguration Day, and once Ms Trump touched down in Florida photographs and videos appeared to show her reluctant to engage with the press.

And despite her husband’s ongoing impeachment trial, Ms Trump’s day to day schedule is said to have returned largely back to life before Washington.

"It’s pretty much the same as it was before (she was first lady) or even when she would come down during vacations," a source familiar with Ms Trump’s schedule told CNN.

On Friday, Ms Trump launched a new office of the former first lady, which will reportedly aim to maintain her "Be Best" campaign against online child cyberbullying from her time at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The office of the former first lady is still working out of Mar-A-Lago, the former president’s private club, but they’re looking for separate office space in Palm Beach, Florida, according to CNN.

This article has been updated