President Donald Trump has humorously floated the idea of making his post-presidency home near a North Carolina military base, with First Lady Melania Trump nodding her apparent approval during a rare joint public appearance.
Fort Bragg Remarks Spark Relocation Speculation
While addressing soldiers at Fort Bragg on Friday, Trump diverged from his standard political speech to boast about billions in purported investments for base improvements. He then unexpectedly suggested a personal connection to the area.
"In fact, I'm thinking about moving here someday. Maybe I'll, maybe I'll move here with our great movie star ... with our First Lady," Trump declared, turning to his wife. "We'll move to Fort Bragg. Would you like that, darling?"
Melania Trump, who accompanied her husband to the base, laughed and seemed to nod in response. Trump then told the assembled troops: "She loves you." He added, "It's a possibility — actually, it's not a bad idea, because we love it."
Background of Previous Residence Change
This is not the first time Trump has changed his primary residence. In 2019, he officially shifted his domicile from Trump Tower in New York, where he had lived since 1983, to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
At that time, Trump claimed to "cherish" New York but complained about being "treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state" amid multiple civil and criminal investigations into his conduct. The move allowed him to avoid various probes in his longtime home state.
Melania's Documentary Promotion
The First Lady's appearance at Fort Bragg served dual purposes. While supporting her husband, she was also promoting her Amazon-funded documentary about preparations for Trump's January 2025 inauguration.
Amazon reportedly paid $40 million for the documentary and spent an additional $35 million on marketing. Critics have derided the purchase as a blatant payoff to the Trumps. The film has generated just over $13 million in box office revenues since its theatrical release last month.
Trump referenced the documentary's performance during his speech, telling troops: "And now she's a movie star." He added that the United States "is truly blessed to have such a phenomenal First Lady."
Family Ties to North Carolina
While Trump's remarks were made in jest, he does have family connections to North Carolina through his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. A North Carolina native, Lara Trump has twice considered but rejected opportunities to run for open Senate seats in the state.
The President's suggestion of moving to Fort Bragg represents another potential shift in his living arrangements, though it remains unclear how serious the proposal might be given his established residence at Mar-a-Lago.
