Melania Surfaces to Revel in Lavishly Sucking Up to Dictator

Kent Nishimura/Pool via Reuters First Lady Melania Trump has remained out of sight for much of her husband’s second term, but she appears thrilled about “Excellency” Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington later this week.

The first lady skipped Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing in May.

More recently, she was absent from the Republican midterm convention in Dallas and the president’s visit this month to Ireland.

But on Wednesday she’ll be there to roll out the red carpet for Xi and the first lady of China’s visit to the White House for an official State Visit.

And she seemed unusually enthusiastic about the prospect, using the word “Excellency” eight times in a gushing nine-paragraph press release revealing her involvement in the visit.

The first lady’s office announced details of the upcoming extravaganza on Monday, which includes a welcome ceremony and State Dinner.

Melania and Madame Peng Liyuan will visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, and the two couples will sip tea in the White House Red Room during the trip.

On Wednesday, the president will head to Joint Base Andrews to welcome Xi and Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan in person ahead of the high-stakes summit.

U.S. presidents rarely greet foreign leaders on the tarmac, instead waiting for them to arrive at the White House.

Trump also greeted Vladimir Putin on the tarmac for their summit in Alaska last year.

President Barack Obama welcomed Pope Francis in 2015, and President George W.

Bush greeted Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 when each arrived in the U.S. while they were in office.

But the unusual move for the president to go to the airbase is just the first in a series of elaborate steps the Trumps are taking out for the Chinese leader’s visit.

On Thursday, the president and first lady will host a State Arrival Ceremony honoring Xi and Peng at the White House.