First lady Melania Trump Melania TrumpTrump privately blamed Black Americans for lacking initiative: report The Hill's 12:30 Report: Ginsburg lies in repose Melania Trump: Ginsburg's 'spirit will live on in all she has inspired' MORE made her first appearance at a White House event in weeks on Monday when she attended a reception for Gold Star military families.

A brief video shared on Twitter from the event shows the first lady and President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE entering the reception. She did not deliver remarks at the event, which was closed to the press, though she did release a statement.

First lady Melania Trump attends White House event honoring Gold Star families in her first public appearance in more than 3 weeks after kidney procedure. https://t.co/KtcdDeFIB6 pic.twitter.com/G9FtktgQ6E — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) June 4, 2018

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"It was a privilege to welcome Gold Star Families to the White House today to recognize our Nation’s fallen heroes and their families. To all those who have lost loved ones in service to our country, our nation grieves with you," the first lady said in a release after the event.

Monday night's event marked the first time Melania Trump was seen in public since early May. She underwent surgery on May 14 for a benign kidney condition, returning to the White House five days later.

CNN reporter Kate Bennett tweeted that the president joked about rumors of the first lady's whereabouts.

"Did she leave him?" @realDonaldTrump jokes about the rumors surrounding @FLOTUS's lengthy absence from public view. A sort of awkward bit of humor in a room full of military families who have lost loved ones. — Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) June 4, 2018

Melania Trump criticized the media last week for speculating on her whereabouts.

“I see the media is working overtime speculating where I am & what I'm doing,” she tweeted. “Rest assured, I'm here at the @WhiteHouse w my family, feeling great, & working hard on behalf of children & the American people!”

Stephanie Grisham, the communications director for the first lady, said Trump will not travel with the president to the Group of Seven Summit in Canada this week, or to Singapore next week for his summit with Kim Jong Un.