What is going on with Donald Trump and wife Melania Trump’s marriage? Social media users suspect that their relationship is nothing more than a business deal at this point, as the soon-to-be first lady is often missing from the president-elect’s side. The Republican businessman may have inadvertently fanned the rumor mill on Christmas with his Instagram post acknowledging the holiday. The photo he used showed him dressed in a black tuxedo and white button-up and his wife in a white, sequined, form-hugging dress with long sleeves. However, the merry photo of the smiling couple drew criticism from a small batch of users in the comments. US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump make their way to board Marine One as they depart the White House in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2021. – President Trump travels to his Mar-a-Lago golf club residence in Palm Beach, Florida, and will not attend the inauguration for President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) “7 year old photo, what’s up with that?” asked one person. According to The List, the holiday greeting was recycled from the couple’s archive. It purportedly circulated for the first time in 2018, during Trump’s first tenure as president. A second individual typed, “I wonder how much he is paying her to pretend to be happy.” Melania and “The Apprentice” boss have been married since 2005. The former Slovenia model met the New York real estate mogul in 1998 while he was separated from Marla Maples, his second wife. In 2006, his third trip down the aisle resulted in the birth of his fifth and final child, a son named Barron Trump. The 78-year-old is also the father of adult kids Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany Trump. View this post on Instagram A post shared by President Donald J. Trump (@realdonaldtrump) Speculation about his and Melania’s union being “on the rocks” was a prominent subject of online fodder during his 2024 presidential reelection campaign. Unlike his first pursuit of the Oval Office, his better half was hardly ever spotted on the trail. In October, even more questions arose when she appeared to avoid locking lips with the twice-impeached leader at a New York rally. At one point, the MAGA advocate was accused of using a Melania look-alike to subdue the glare from those wondering about his marriage. Trump previously deflected interest in her absence in 2023 with, “She’s a private person, a great person, a very confident person, and she loves our country very much. She’ll be — at the appropriate time — she’ll be out there.” Still, the holiday post faux pas incited skeptics to question if there is more to Melania stepping back from the spotlight.  President Trump, Barron, Melania, Melania’s father Viktor, and Don Jr at Christmas dinner last night at Mar-a-Lago pic.twitter.com/JY25HAzsic— FLOTUS Report (@MELANIAJTRUMP) December 26, 2024 “Where is Melania? I guess we will have to settle for Elon Musk as President.  Donald Trump as the first man and Melania as missing in action” read a tweet. Another stated, “She doesn’t want to be around him.” A third person declared, “Everything about them is fraud & deceit,” as the old photo was passed off as an updated image. Melania was present, though seated next to her son Barron, at the family’s Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Across the table was the newest addition to the family, socialite Bettina Anderson, who was revealed as Donald Trump Jr.’s new girlfriend post-election. Trump will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, marking his return to power. Speculative reports have already suggested that Melania will take up residency in the White House but will have her own bedroom separate from the embattled figure. ‘She Doesn’t Want to be Around Him’: Donald Trump Accused of Paying Wife Melania to ‘Pretend to be Happy’ After Revived Holiday Photo Backfires