Five days before her husband Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, Melania hosted a political fundraiser for the Log Cabin Republicans.

Having been conspicuously absent from the Trump campaign this year – she accompanied Trump to the ballot box for the Florida primary in March – Melania was front and centre of her second fundraiser for the largest conservative LGBTQ+ organisation in the US on July 8.

It was the first campaign event ever held at the Trump Tower penthouse in New York, and raised $US1.4 million for the cause, says guest Richard Grenell, who served in Trump’s cabinet in 2020.

“Like President Trump, she has sacrificed so much in the effort to preserve the American Dream for all,” wrote attendee Kelly Loeffler, a former Georgia senator.

“Proud to stand with her in the fight to restore grace, strength and dignity back to the White House.”

After the shooting in Pennsylvania – a key state in the November 5 election – the King, world leaders and former presidents, Trump’s adult children, party faithful and Democrats took to social media to send their best wishes and decry the violence.

Melania, in a lengthy, and rare statement on social media, wrote that “the fabric of our gentle nation is tattered”, and called the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, a “monster”.

She said that “when I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realised my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of a devastating change.”

She received a lot of love online from Make America Great Again  supporters, but attracted criticism for her absence on the campaign, and why she will reportedly only live in Washington part-time to attend events and functions if Trump is returned to the White House.

“Why won’t you be seen in public with your husband … you’re not even gonna live under the same roof with him,” wrote one anti-Trump user on X.

“Why won’t she and her husband condemn gun violence? It’s the guns,” another wrote.

Some applauded her for being a “beacon of light” after the shooting, the first in 40 years in the US since Ronald Reagan in 1981.

“Our 1st lady, under extreme stress, having almost lost her husband, displays a calm strength.”

Tiffany, Eric, Lara and Donald Trump Jr on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo: Getty

On July 15, at Trump’s first appearance at the Republican National Convention (which runs until July 18), he received a raucous ovation from the party faithful, and stood in a box with children Eric, Tiffany and Donald Trump Jr as their father received enough votes to become the GOP nominee.

It was an emotional welcome from the crowd as Trump, 78, wearing a square bandage over his right ear, walked into the venue.

They chanted “Fight! Fight! Fight” and pumped their fists, a reference to his reaction in the moments after he was wounded.

Melania wasn’t there. Nor was their son, Barron, 18, and his daughter, Ivanka.

However, Politico reports they are coming.

Trump is due to formally accept the party’s nomination in a prime-time speech on Thursday and will face Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 5 election.

“The former first lady is expected to attend, although a speaking role has not been confirmed,” it wrote, adding she has spoken at the past two conventions.

“The limited public appearances she has made in recent months have been at political fundraisers held by the Log Cabin Republicans.”

Donald Trump Jr and his fiancee, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Eric Trump and co-chair Lara will address the crowd.

Opinion polls show a close race between Trump and Biden, 81, though Trump leads in several swing states that are likely to decide the election.

After the assassination attempt, Trump said he was revising his acceptance speech to emphasise national unity, rather than highlight his differences with Biden, who has come under increased pressure to bow out of the race after their nationally televised debate last week.

“The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago,” he told the Washington Examiner.