Debunked: Is Melania divorcing Donald Trump?

Melania and Donald Trump have been the centre of divorce speculation again – but it's not what it seems.

Over the weekend (24 February), the former president attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) where many viewers accused him of getting his wife's name wrong.

At the Washington event, Trump suggested that "people love" Melania, his wife of almost 20 years.

"Well look, my wife, our great first lady, she was great… people love her," he told the crowd which led to a standing ovation.

"Oh look at that, wow," he continued, adding: "Mercedes, that’s pretty good!"

People online were quick to assume he had just called his wife another name – but that seemingly wasn't the case.

Also in attendance was Mercedes Schlapp, a CAPC organiser.

The real Mercedes later turned to X/Twitter with a screengrab, writing: "Fake news at its finest."

Divorce rumours have since resurfaced online following a now-deleted August 2023 post by @PopularLiberal that reportedly claimed: "It appears that leaked emails have revealed Melania Trump's apparent threats of divorce towards Donald Trump, along with her inquiries about his pension and the terms she would be entitled to in a $2 billion divorce settlement."

It was also said to have included a clip that echoed the same sentiment, writing: "Apparently, as I said, she's left him. It's over."

However, the information was seemingly a misquoted gossip article that included unverified quotes.

As per the Mirror, a source then claimed that while the pair live together at Mar-A-Lago, they only come together for an occasional dinner.

"Their paths barely cross," the source alleged. "Melania is no different to any woman. Having her husband accused of cheating on her not just once but twice is extremely disturbing.

"There is little wonder people believe it's not just the criminal court Trump is heading to but possibly a divorce one too."

More recently, Redditors highlighted that "Melania has been absent from all Trump campaign events and court appearances in the past year."

The post claimed: "She has privately expressed frustration with having to play the role of First Lady and it has also been documented that she still holds resentment over the 'Access Hollywood' and 'Stormy Daniels' scandals.

Ultimately, despite all of the social media speculation and rumours swirling online, there is no official evidence or court filings that suggest the couple are getting or planning to get a divorce.

Indy100 reached out to Donald Trump's representative for comment

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