Melania Trump 'skipped Davos because she hates Donald', claims Jimmy Kimmel

'I guess her plan was to stay back in the White House to keep digging the escape tunnel,' says comedian

Melania Trump might have blamed her decision to pull out of a trip to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on logistical problems but Jimmy Kimmel remains unconvinced.

The talk show host, who hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live!, instead quipped the choice was prompted by the First Lady hating her husband.

Ms Trump was scheduled to attend the influential annual conference of financial and business leaders in Davos later this week but dropped out at the eleventh hour.

Her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said “scheduling and logistical issues” forced Ms Trump to change her plans but did not say what those issues were. Her husband is expected to speak at the event.

Reminding viewers of the “saga”, Kimmel noted that “all of a sudden” Ms Trump opted not to join her husband in the eastern Alps region.

“According to her director of communications, the first lady is skipping her trip due to ‘scheduling and logistical issues,’” Kimmel said. “And because she hates him.”

“So instead of going to Davos, I guess her plan was to stay back in the White House to keep digging the escape tunnel she has hidden behind a poster of Tom Selleck,” the comedian quipped.

“This will be a rare public separation for America’s most notoriously affectionate couple.”

The First Lady, a former model who is the president’s third wife, announced her decision not to attend on 22 January, the 13th anniversary of her wedding to US President Donald Trump.

The president and First Lady broke precedent by failing to make any public mention of their anniversary on Monday.

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Kimmel added: “I’m sure he just forgot. I mean, how many anniversaries to how many wives can one man keep track of?”

Ms Trump has kept a low profile after reports surfaced earlier this month that her husband's personal lawyer Michael Cohen, made a $130,000 (£93,000) payment to adult actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election to keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter with Mr Trump in 2006. Mr Cohen has denied the report.

Alfter the story broke she accompanied the president to his Mar-a-Lago golf resort in Florida, but she did not attend two dinners he hosted - one with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.