Topline
Former First Lady Melania Trump endorsed her husband’s campaign for a second presidency on Tuesday—marking her most significant public statements of support for former President Donald Trump’s White House bid—though the friendly Fox News interviewers didn’t ask about his ongoing legal woes amid reports she is “angry” over the renewed publicity.
Former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump arrive for a speech at Mar-a-Lago … [+]
Key Facts
Melania told Fox and Friends in an interview Tuesday Trump “has [her] support” and that serving as first lady again would be a “privilege.”
Interviewer Pete Hegseth did not ask about the various law enforcement investigations against Trump.
The interview comes as the civil trial surrounding writer E. Jean Carroll’s rape allegations against Trump come to a close and the jury assigned to the case begins deliberations.
The interview, which marks Melania’s first since Trump announced his candidacy in November, aired weeks after reports that the former first lady was “not comfortable” with her husband’s politics and “angry” about his indictment in Manhattan Criminal Court over hush-money payments he allegedly made to cover up an extramarital affair.
Melania, speaking from Florida, also gave a glowing review of Washington, telling Hegseth she “really [likes]” Washington and “enjoyed living in the White House,” defying previous reports that she was relieved when her husband’s presidency ended and could return to her private life split between time in New York and at the Trumps’ Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach.
Crucial Quote
“They’re biased, and they have likes and dislikes, and it’s so obvious, and I think [the] American people and everyone see it, and I have much more important things to do…than being on the cover of Vogue,” Melania said when Hegseth asked about what he described as a “double standard” by Vogue magazine for featuring Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and former First Ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama on the cover, but not Melania.
Tangent
Melania promoted her scholarship program for children who grew up in foster care during the interview and her newly launched collection of NFTs.
Key Background
Melania’s sit-down came weeks after her team offered a vague warning against “assumptions” made in unspecified news reports, following a series of tabloid reports last month that suggested she is unhappy with her husband’s political appearances and angry about his indictment in Manhattan Criminal Court. “She simply wants to be left alone,” People magazine reported, quoting a source. Melania has largely remained shielded from the public eye since Trump left the White House in 2019. She attended his announcement speech in November, but was absent from his post-arraignment speech at Mar-A-Lago in April.
Further Reading
Melania Trump Issues Cryptic First Statement After Trump’s Indictment (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/05/09/melania-finally-backs-trumps-reelection-bid-in-first-interview-since-campaign-launch-but-doesnt-mention-legal-issues/