Melania Trump directly commented for the first time about whether she will be joining President-elect Donald Trump in the White House full-time during his second term.
In an interview with Fox News that aired Monday, Jan. 13, the incoming first lady, 54, said she will be splitting her time between Washington D.C., New York City, and Palm Beach, Fla., over the next four years due to her various responsibilities — though she plans to make one of the homes her main residence.
When asked where she will spend the most time in her new title, Melania told Fox, “I will be in the White House. And when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach. My first priority is to be a mom, to be a first lady, to be a wife.”
Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Melania also commented on whether her son, Barron Trump, will be joining them at the White House. Barron, 18, recently moved from the family’s Mar-a-Lago mansion in Palm Beach up to New York City, where he is attending New York University’s Stern School of Business.
Melania told Fox in September that Barron opted to live at Trump Tower, his family’s Midtown Manhattan residence, as he started his first year of college.
Despite Barron’s residency in Manhattan, he will have a room at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue residency to “come and visit” as he pleases, the former first lady told Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt.
“Whatever he would like to do,” Melania said. “I feel as children, we have them till they are 18, 19 years old. We teach them, we guide them, and then we give them the wings to fly.”
“I always respect Barron’s yes and no, and what he likes to do, where he would like to be,” she added.
Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg/Getty
A source exclusively told PEOPLE in December that Barron, with his mother’s support, won’t be living among his peers any time in the near future.
“She will do everything she can to make sure Barron does well in school and is socially and mentally adjusted to his life as a college student,” a political source said of Melania’s relationship with her son. “Living in a dorm in a college town isn’t in the stars for him at this point.”
The source added, “Barron already has his own political ideas. It all needs to be monitored in light of the situation.”
Joe Raedle/Getty
In November, an insider told PEOPLE that they doubt Melania wants to live in the White House full-time when Donald assumes the presidency.
“If Melania becomes first lady again, of course people expect her to move into the White House and perform appropriate duties,” a social source close to the Trumps said, adding that she is not so keen on relocating to the official residence.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“She will have her private living apartment there, and she has her home in New York, and her home at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach,” the source said. “She will spend time in all of these places.”
The insider added that she is “not likely” to make the White House her permanent residence.
Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty
As for the process of moving her things into the White House, Melania shared on Fox that it will be easier the second time around.
“The difference is I know where I will be going,” the former model said. “I know the rooms where we will be living, I know the process.”
“The first time was challenging. We didn’t have much of the information,” she continued. “But this time I have everything. I have the plans, I could move in, I already packed, I already selected the furniture that needs to go in, so it’s a very different transition this time, second time around.”
Melania noted that “the transition team” only has five hours to move President Joe Biden and his family out — and move the Trump family in — on Jan. 20, which is Inauguration Day.
Read the full article here
