Melania Trump recalled navigating a 'labyrinth' of paperwork to become a US citizen in a rare public appearance at the National Archives

• Melania Trump welcomed new US citizens at a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives.

• She was the first naturalized US citizen to serve as first lady.

• The National Archives is involved in one of the pending criminal cases against Donald Trump.

Former first lady Melania Trump made a rare public appearance on Friday, speaking to new US citizens at a naturalization ceremony held at the National Archives in Washington, DC.

The first naturalized US citizen to serve as first lady, Trump, who was born in Slovenia, recalled navigating a "labyrinth" of paperwork in the process of obtaining a worker visa in New York City early in her modeling career, and the relief she felt upon finally securing her status.

"I recall feeling a tremendous sense of pride and belonging after I recited the US oath of allegiance, as the pathway to citizenship is arduous," she said.

Trump's attorney told the BBC that she originally moved to the United States in 1996 using a tourist visa. She was later approved for several work-related visas for skilled immigrants before later obtaining an EB-1 visa — commonly known as an "Einstein Visa" — after she began dating not-yet-a-politician Donald Trump.

At Friday's ceremony, she also highlighted the responsibilities that come with US citizenship.

"It means actively participating in the democratic process and guarding our freedom," she said. "It also means leading by example and contributing to our society. It is a life-altering experience that takes time, determination, and sometimes even tremendous strength."

Melania Trump has largely remained absent from the 2024 campaign trail and out of the public eye since leaving the White House in 2021. She most recently appeared alongside all living first ladies at Rosalynn Carter's funeral on November 28, though her husband was absent.

Her presence at the National Archives was noteworthy for another reason: the organization's involvement in one of the pending criminal cases against her husband, former president Donald Trump.

In an indictment brought by a grand jury in Florida in June, prosecutors allege the former president broke federal law by withholding documents from the National Archives, some of which contained top-secret national security intelligence. Trump has denied wrongdoing.

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