WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump underwent a procedure Monday morning to treat a benign kidney condition and will likely be hospitalized for the rest of the week, the White House said.
President Donald Trump tweeted Monday afternoon that he was headed to see his wife at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center just outside Washington. The President says she is in “good spirits” and thanked everyone for their well-wishes.
Her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said the procedure on the 48-year-old first lady was successful and there were no complications. The president spoke with Mrs. Trump before the procedure and with her doctor afterward, the first lady’s office said.
Monday afternoon, The White House issued the following statement on Mrs. Trump’s procedure:
“This morning, First Lady Melania Trump underwent an embolization procedure to treat a benign kidney condition. The procedure was successful and there were no complications. Mrs. Trump is at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and will likely remain there for the duration of the week. The First Lady looks forward to a full recovery so she can continue her work on behalf of children everywhere.”
She was last seen in public on Wednesday at a White House event where she joined the president to honor military mothers and spouses for Mother’s Day.
The former model from Slovenia is Trump’s third wife, and the couple has been married for 13 years. They have a 12-year-old son named Barron.
Mrs. Trump, who has been gradually raising her profile as first lady, recently hosted her first state dinner and launched a public awareness campaign to help children.
With the president watching in the Rose Garden, Mrs. Trump last week unveiled the “Be Best” campaign, which she said will focus on childhood well-being, social media use and opioid abuse.
The first lady lived full time in New York during the administration’s opening months so Barron would not have to change schools midyear. She and Barron moved into the White House last June and since then the first lady has been raising her public profile.
Mrs. Trump joined her husband last month to host the prime minister of Japan for a two-day summit at the Trumps’ Florida estate, and the Trumps hosted the president of France at the White House on a three-day state visit, including a lavish state dinner. Mrs. Trump also represented the administration at the April funeral of former first lady Barbara Bush.
