Mrs. Trump declined the invitation for the traditional meeting between the incoming and outgoing presidential spouses.

Trump took up President Joe Biden's offer and the rivals were set to meet in the White House at 11 a.m. Wednesday. But Melania Trump did not make her intentions known publicly until hours before the two presidents were scheduled to sit down for a civil confab after a brutal campaign.

Trump didn't extend the same invitation to Biden when he was defeated in 2020 as he refused to concede the election results.