Sometimes the “news” isn’t the news; the media’s coverage of it is. Such is the case with First Lady Melania Trump’s “mysterious” absence from the public after she underwent a kidney procedure in May. Media figures advanced wild conspiracy theories including everything from botched plastic surgery to a body double to a mental breakdown to her leaving after spousal abuse at the hands of President Donald Trump. That’s not journalism, it’s a smear campaign, and it was exposed when Melania appeared smiling and apparently well Wednesday at a FEMA briefing.

These Leftmedia hitmen would certainly love to see the president’s marriage collapse after the Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal kerfuffle. We’re not defending his behavior in those affairs, but what better way to advance the #MeToo strategy to undermine Trump’s successful policy agenda and to anger female voters ahead of the 2018 and 2020 elections than to further speculate that Melania is being abused or held hostage?

Another point: Melania is not charging ahead with policy initiatives like Michelle Obama, and she’s not “co-president” like Hillary Clinton. So, as Tucker Carlson put it, “What’s so interesting about this is how much journalists hate Melania Trump. Imagine hating Melania Trump. Whatever else she is, Melania Trump is not an overbearing public figure. She’s not lecturing you about your weight, or trying to control your personal life. She doesn’t weigh in on tax rates or global warming. It’s unlikely she will run for Senate from New York when this is all over.” Indeed, she prefers to work behind the scenes, and part of her desire is driven by exactly this kind of media sensationalism.

Finally, what makes the pitiful episode even more laughable is that when Trump blasted the “Fake News Media” for “unfair” and “vicious” attacks on his wife, some outlets blamed him for the conspiracy theories because the White House had been too quiet about Melania’s whereabouts. Our diagnosis: The media has a serious case of Trump Derangement Syndrome