Melania Trump Is Showing Her Support

Sunday's second presidential debate is undoubtedly the most dramatic one yet, considering the recently leaked video of Republican nominee Donald Trump making lewd and sexually threatening remarks about women. Many of Trump's supporters, including his own wife, have condemned his words. While some former endorsers have completely withdrawn their support, it appears that Melania Trump is at the debate in a show of continued solidarity with her husband.

Trump's comments, made to Access Hollywood host Billy Bush in 2005, occurred while Melania and Donald were married, and Melania was most likely pregnant with their son Barron. Yet while her statement revealed her disappointment in her husband's remarks, Melania attended the previous presidential debate in September, and so it makes sense that she's attending this one, too. While Donald Trump's third wife addressed and condemned the controversial tape on Sunday, she made it clear that she was still on her husband's side. Here's Melania's official statement:

The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me. This does not represent the man that I know. He has the heart and mind of a leader. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world.

Since Melania made it clear that she has accepted Trump's apology — an apology that came in video form late in the night the conversation leaked — it would be off-message for her not to show up in support of her husband at Sunday's debate. Presumably, it would lead to media speculation that the two might be having trouble together, which Melania's statement in no way suggested was on the table.

While Melania has not been the most vocal advocate for her husband, she has stood by his side at most major events. Of course, it'd be natural to assume that the leaked conversation with Bush (and the many other scandals Trump has been involved in, like the audio of Trump allowing Howard Stern to call his daughter a "piece of a**," and a New York Times article on his alleged groping) would turn Melania away from supporting her husband. Yet so far, that hasn't appeared to be the case, and Trump's wife is continuing to be part of his camp and cheer him on during the last leg of his campaign.