Her own campaign Melania prefers to promote her book instead of campaigning for her husband
While Donald Trump is campaigning, his wife Melania has also launched a campaign. However, the 54-year-old is not campaigning for votes for her husband in the US presidential election, but for her own book.
25.09.2024, 19:20
26.09.2024, 08:58
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- The former First Lady's appearances alongside her husband Donald Trump have become increasingly sparse in recent times.
- Even during the election campaign as US presidential candidate, she hardly supported him publicly.
- Now Melania Trump wants to give Fox News her first interview in more than two years. The reason: her memoirs, which are to be published in book form on October 8.
Melania Trump's memoirs are to be published on October 8, exactly four weeks before the election. The otherwise reserved former First Lady is breaking her silence, which many find puzzling.
For years, Melania Trump avoided the limelight. But in the past few days, she has published several videos in online media. "As a private person who has often been the subject of public criticism and misrepresentation, I feel an obligation to set the facts straight," she says in a black-and-white clip with a view of her book. "I believe it's important to share my perspective."
The 256-page book is simply titled "Melania" and is expected to cost 40 dollars, with the signed version with photos costing 250 dollars. In the publicity for it, the 54-year-old also addresses topics that she has never or hardly ever spoken about before - from the assassination attempt on her husband in July to the 2020 anti-racist demonstrations in Washington.
The ex-model even talks about the nude photos of her published by US tabloids in 2016. "I proudly stand by my work as a nude model", she says and asks: "Can we no longer appreciate the beauty of the human body?"
In another clip, the Slovenian-born model condemns the FBI raid on the Trumps' home in Florida two years ago. The government had violated her privacy.
Strong woman in control of her own life
Why is Melania Trump, who is considered unapproachable and media-shy, going public now of all times? The videos were primarily used to market her book, says Katherine Jellison, a history professor at Ohio University. However, Melania also wants to "convey an image of herself as a strong woman who is in control of her own life and destiny." For this reason, she has also largely stayed out of her husband's presidential election campaign. "That is part of this independence project," analyzes the historian, who researches presidential couples.
Melania Trump did not accompany her husband to the court case in New York in the spring, where Donald Trump was convicted of paying hush money to a porn actress, nor to his campaign appearances. In doing so, she is clearly defying the customs of US politics, where the spouses of candidates usually take an active part in the campaign.
Doug Emhoff, for example, the husband of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, is enthusiastically campaigning for his wife and is at her side on many occasions.
Donald Trump: "I believe she loves her husband"
The obvious distance between Melania and Donald Trump has fueled speculation about their relationship for years. In a recent interview on Fox News, the ex-president tried to dispel rumors. "I think she loves her husband," he said of his wife. "This is probably the biggest surprise to a lot of people, but she loves her husband."
On Thursday, Melania Trump will give her first interview to Fox News in more than two years. The arch-conservative television station has been heavily promoting the event in advance: Melania will not only talk about her book, but also about "Trump's campaign strategy in the remaining six weeks before the election, the two attempted assassinations of her husband and other current news".
