According to the PR specialist, Melania may be stepping out of the spotlight to gauge how much public interest exists in her personal projects independent of her husband's political career. "This is probably the first real chance she's had to step out and see whether people are interested in her, rather than just the Trump name," he said. "The goal isn't to erase that connection because she never will; instead, it's to give people another reason to talk about her." In the case of the late Senator's funeral, Melania's aide Marc Beckman claimed the former model had been working on a different project. Foster Youth to Independence Program Provides Vulnerable Youth with a Pathway to Housing Stability and Self-Sufficiency."