Melania Trump Returns to White House in ‘High Spirits’ After Kidney Procedure

WASHINGTON — The White House said Saturday morning that the first lady, Melania Trump, had returned home after spending almost five days at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center recovering from a procedure for a kidney condition.

In a statement, Melania Trump’s communications director, Stephanie Grisham, said the first lady was “resting comfortably and remains in high spirits.”

The president, who visited the military hospital three times this past week, wrote on Twitter: “Great to have our incredible First Lady back home in the White House. Melania is feeling and doing really well. Thank you for all of your prayers and best wishes!”

After a procedure on Monday, the White House said Melania Trump would probably remain at Walter Reed “for the duration of the week.” The next day, President Donald Trump said the recovery would be “two or three days.” But on Friday, as that time frame expired, the West Wing and Melania Trump’s office would not comment on the first lady’s whereabouts, leading to speculation about the seriousness of her condition.

Medical experts have puzzled over why Melania Trump would have remained in the hospital for almost a week when the recovery for the kind of procedure she underwent — an embolization that cuts off the blood supply to the kidney — is typically a day.

The White House has still not explained what led Melania Trump to seek treatment, or whether its reference to her “benign kidney condition” meant she had a tumor.

On Saturday, as Melania Trump returned to the White House, her husband had no public events on his schedule.