Are you (a) a journalist with (b) a wild theory about Melania Trump's public absence that (c) is not substantiated by any hard evidence? No worries, all it takes to float your conjecture into the broader conversation is one simple tweet.

Jamil Smith, senior writer at Rolling Stone, used Twitter on Sunday to express his suspicion that the first lady's public absence "could be about concealing abuse" perpetrated by her husband.

"I wish that I didn’t suspect that the prolonged, poorly explained public absence of Melania Trump could be about concealing abuse. I wish that it was a ludicrous prospect. I wish that the @POTUS wasn’t a man with a history of abusing women, including those to whom he is married," Smith tweeted.



I wish that I didn’t suspect that the prolonged, poorly explained public absence of Melania Trump could be about concealing abuse. I wish that it was a ludicrous prospect. I wish that the @POTUS wasn’t a man with a history of abusing women, including those to whom he is married. — Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) June 3, 2018



Smith is in luck, because the prospect is ludicrous. There's absolutely no evidence to suggest the president is physically abusing the first lady, and her decision to stay out of the public eye for several weeks after undergoing a kidney surgery doesn't really count.

It's fair to say Mrs. Trump's prolonged absence, combined with the few details provided about the procedure she underwent, raises questions. But it doesn't give journalists license to engage in baseless speculation that implicates the president in domestic violence.

If Mrs. Trump were indeed "concealing abuse," it would seem strange for her to be walking around the West Wing in clear view of journalists.

Did that theory meet Rolling Stone's standards? Based on recent history, well ...

For what it's worth, the first lady is also expected to be in attendance at a White House event honoring Gold Star families on Monday night.

h/t The Wrap