With President-elect Donald Trump set to return to the White House in January to begin his second term in office, questions have been raised about whether he will be joined by former and future first lady Melania Trump at the presidential residence in Washington D.C.

Multiple sources suggest that Melania will not spend the next four years in the White House, at least not full-time, as she instead intends to remain close to her beloved son Barron, who is currently attending New York University, according to The Palm Beach Post.

It is a legitimate question, given how the former first lady delayed her initial move to the White House until the summer of 2017, several months after the former president was sworn in for his first term, so that their son, who was 10 at the time, could finish his school year in New York before being uprooted to D.C.

Will split time between residences to stay close to Barron

The Independent reported this week that according to former CNN White House correspondent Kate Bennett and other unnamed sources, Melania Trump will likely split her time over the next four years between the White House and the family's homes in Florida and New York City so that she can remain close to Barron.

The former and future first lady would prefer "not to be publicly involved" in politics or the administration, per the sources, but will still continue to be "a constant voice in her husband’s ear, giving him advice."

Bennett, who previously penned an unauthorized biography of Melania, said she will "be as active in the East Wing or as inactive as she cares to be."

"She still has to walk the fine line any first lady does, which is why it’s a terrible job: You have to be smart -- but not too smart. You have to care about what you look like -- but not too much. You have to have thoughts about issues facing the world -- but you also have to have a holiday cookie recipe," the reporter added.

"A part-time first lady"

That coincides with a report from the New York Post that cited an unnamed inside source from the Trump family's Mar-a-Lago resort who similarly claimed that Melania would divide her time between Florida, New York, and the White House "so she can be the hands-on mother to Barron that she is."

"Melania will be the first lady, but only on her terms. She’ll do the big events. But no ladies’ tea and no -- or very few -- interviews," the source continued. "She views winning as the main show, and the rest she’ll do as she pleases. She’s really in the driver’s seat as to her duties at the White House."

"Melania will be a part-time first lady -- while being a full-time mother and wife," the anonymous insider added.

Both of those reports seemed to confirm what an Axios reporter said in June about how it was unlikely that Melania would return to the White House full-time if her husband won re-election to a second term in November.

The reporter said at that time, "More likely: jetting between Palm Beach and New York (where her son Barron is attending NYU), coming to the White House only for ceremonial undertakings like state dinners or special events."

Melania says "This time is different"

As for Melania Trump herself, she hasn't publicly stated what her living arrangements will be now that President-elect Trump is headed back to the White House, but she did tell Fox News in a rare pre-election interview that, if her husband was victorious, "I'm not anxious because this time is different."

"I have much more experience, much more knowledge. I was in the White House before," she added. "So when you go in, you know exactly what to expect. You know what kind of people you need to get. You need to have people that are on your team that they have the same vision as me and to serve me because they serve the country."