Melania Trump Looked Healthy, Happy After Surgery In A $2,700 Black & White Dress For Annual White House Gala

First lady Melania Trump looked healthy and happy at a solo public appearance after undergoing kidney surgery in a gorgeous black, silver, and white gown. Mrs. Trump appeared at the White House on June 11 for the annual Lincoln Medal gala. The former model and wife of Donald Trump welcomed guests to Fords Theater weeks after an operation for a benign kidney condition. Mrs. Trump also made a speech at the event.

The first lady shared an image of herself on Twitter posing with guests. The last time Mrs. Trump posted on the social media site was June 7. She wore a $2,700 Escada gown to the event. Escada is a German luxury designer clothing brand.

Mrs. Trump posted an image of herself giving the evening’s closing remarks and awarding the Lincoln Medal to Sheila Johnson, who co-founded Black Entertainment Network (BET) with her ex-husband Robert. Johnson later sold the company to Viacom for $2.9 billion. A medal was also awarded to professional golfer Jack Nicklaus.

The first lady tweeted, “Thank you @Fordstheatre & the talented performers for a special evening celebrating the arts & the legacy of former President Lincoln. Congratulations to @jacknicklaus & Sheila Johnson, the recipients of the Lincoln Medal.”

Trump attended as honorary chair of the annual gala, where she thanked performers and congratulated this year’s winners of the Lincoln Medal. This award honors those who have embodied President Abraham Lincoln’s legacy through their work, according to the White House.

“I was honored to be part of such a special evening,” the first lady said in a statement. “Tonight reminds all of us about the power the arts have in cultivating the American voice. Thank you to Ford’s Theatre Society for tonight, and your continued dedication to education and leadership in the arts — the impact they have on society is invaluable and something we will continue to cherish throughout time,” as reported by CNN.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Trump attended the gala last year. The president is currently in Singapore for his upcoming summit with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un. Therefore, the first lady attended this year’s event solo.

Thank you @Fordstheatre & the talented performers for a special evening celebrating the arts & the legacy of former President Lincoln. Congratulations to @jacknicklaus & Sheila Johnson, the recipients of the Lincoln Medal! pic.twitter.com/EEJLhLn5qb

— Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) June 11, 2018

On June 6, Mrs. Trump made her first public appearance in front of press cameras in 26 days. She attended a hurricane preparedness briefing at FEMA after recovering from what the president described as a “big operation” for a kidney condition on May 14.

Mr. Trump said of the first lady’s health struggle on June 8 that Mrs. Trump was not traveling to the G7 Summit in Quebec because she had a “big operation” and cannot fly for a month, according to Newsweek. “First lady’s great, right there,” the president said, pointing towards the White House. “She wanted to go. Can’t fly for one month, the doctors say. She had a big operation, it was close to a four-hour operation, and she’s doing great, right there. And you know what?” he added. “She is a great first lady.”