Trump Biographer Michael Wolff has sensationally claimed that the US President and wife Melania Trump are essentially “separated”.

The claim comes after reports that the first lady spent less than two weeks at the White House since the Trump’s inauguration.

Journalist Wolff  has written several books critical of Trump since the former real estate mogul and reality star first gained office in 2016 – most recently All or Nothing, which gives a behind the scenes look at his road to reclaiming presidency in 2024.

Speaking on The Daily Beast Podcast this week, Wolff was asked by host Joanna Coles to what extent Melania was involved in Trump’s second administration..

“They clearly do not in any way inhabit a marriage as we define marriage,” Wolff replied, adding, “I think maybe we can more specifically say they live separate lives.

“They are separated. The President of the United States and the first lady are separated,” he said.

In response, White House communications director Steven Cheung has said that Wolff was “a blithering idiot” who has been “widely discredited due to his blatant lies and fabrications”.

“He is an imbecile of the highest order and his Trump Derangement Syndrome-addled brain has caused him to lead a miserable existence devoid of reality,” Cheung told The Independent newspaper.

Melania’s infrequent appearances at the White House this year have given rise to intense speculation about the Trump’s marriage.

Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, The New York Times estimates Melania has spent less than 14 days at the White House.

Citing White House sources, The Times said those estimate might actually be “generous”.

Before her husband retook office Melania said she planned to base herself largely in Washington during his presidency.

In a sit-down interview with Fox & Friends ahead of the inauguration, Melania gave some insight into how she would approach being first lady the second time around.

“I will be in the White House,” she said in a sit-down interview with Fox News show Fox & Friends ahead of the inauguration.

In January Melania said she was preparing to move to the White House. Photo: Fox News

“I already packed. I already selected the, you know, the furniture that needs to go in. So it’s, it’s very different, a transition, this time, second time around,” she said in the January interview.

In reality, the first lady spends most of her time in New York where son Barron attends university.

Melania made few public appearances with her husband this administration, including the funeral of the late Pope Francis, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll and an event celebrating military mothers last week.

When the Trumps arrived back in the US after the late pope’s funeral on Melania’s 55th birthday, Melania left by car while the her husband boarded the Marine One helicopter.

Melania joined her husband at the funeral for Pope Francis. Photo: AAP

Speaking to the Times, Melania’s former modelling agent and Trump insider Paolo Zampolli said assumptions about the first lady’s absence from the White House were misleading.

“She loves the White House. And she loves the role of serving as our first lady.” the Businessman said.

However, two unnamed sources close to the first lady said she wasn “deeply spooked” by the two assassination attempts on Trump’s life last year.

They said Melania “was already worried about her family’s safety and had been for years”.