Reason why Melania Trump refused to live in White House with husband Donald as she reveals where she and son Barron will live this year

Incoming First Lady Melania Trump has confirmed where she and her son Barron will reside once her husband Donald Trump returns to the White House to commence his second term in office.

President-elect Trump, 78, is set to return to the White House on 20 January, where he will legally succeed Joe Biden as president of the United States.

The businessman is expected to be sworn in as the 47th president of the country by Chief Justice John Roberts, with Carrie Underwood performing ‘America the Beautiful’ before the inauguration ceremony.

However, speculation has arisen regarding where his wife, Melania Trump, 54, and their son Barron, 18, would reside.

The questions come after the pair decided to move into the White House five months after her husband had initially been sworn in back in 2017.

As per a report by the BBC, she and her son had stayed in New York to finish the school year.

The decision was regarded at the time to be an unusual one, marking her as the first presidential spouse in recent history not to relocate to the capital immediately, according to the publication.

However, Anita McBride, who served as former First Lady Laura Bush’s chief of staff, has claimed that Melania is a ‘unique First Lady’ and that the ‘position really is defined by each person that comes into it’.

Meanwhile, author Andrew Och told USA Today the decision was likely because it was not Melania’s ‘goal to be first lady’.

Melania Trump has said she will be between states during her husband's presidency (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“She had a perfectly fine life. I think the fact that she moved to DC at all and performed any of the duties speaks to the fact that she did understand the public perception of obligation,” Och added.

On Monday (13 January), the soon-to-be First Lady put speculation to bed by announcing she and Barron would be splitting their time between three locations over the next four years.

These are Washington DC, New York City, and Palm Beach in Florida.

Speaking about the decision, she told Fox & Friends: “I will be in the White House.

“And, you know, when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach. But my first priority is, you know, to be a mom, to be a first lady, to be a wife. And once we are in on Jan. 20, you serve the country.”

While confirming she will be in the White House, the former model - who has been married to Trump since 2005 - has not confirmed whether this would be full-time.

Melania's husband Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as US president on 20 January (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

When asked if she and Trump’s only son would be coming to Washington DC, Melania said: “I think he will come and visit, yes.”

Melania also claimed she feels more equipped for the job this time round, stating: “I feel I was always me the first time as well, I just feel that people didn't accept me maybe.

“They didn't understand me the way maybe they do now. And I didn't have much support. Maybe some people, they see me as just a wife of the president, but I'm standing on my own two feet, independent.

“I have my own thoughts. I have my own yes and no. I don't always agree what my husband is saying or doing. And that's OK.”