Former First Lady Melania Trump makes a rare television appearance, addressing her controversial stance on abortion rights amid her husband's presidential campaign.
According to Daily Mail, Melania Trump revealed on Fox & Friends that her pro-choice position was no surprise to her husband Donald Trump.
The former First Lady's remarks followed the release of her memoir titled "Melania" on October 8, where she presented a passionate defense of abortion rights. This marked the first instance where she publicly diverged from her husband's party stance on a significant political issue.
During the Fox & Friends appearance, Melania responded to an audience member's question about how she dropped the pro-choice revelation during her husband's campaign. She maintained that Donald Trump had been aware of her position since their first meeting.
A member of the live studio audience pressed Melania about her timing in revealing this stance during her husband's campaign. The former model handled the potentially awkward moment with composure.
The former First Lady encouraged viewers to read her book for a deeper understanding of her perspectives on abortion and women's rights. Her memoir contains detailed explanations of her position on these critical issues.
In her recently published book, Melania expressed her firm beliefs about women's autonomy. She elaborated on her pro-choice stance with a clear message about bodily autonomy. Melania stated in her memoir:
It is imperative to guarantee that women have autonomy in deciding their preference of having children, based on their own convictions, free from any intervention or pressure from the government. Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body?
The book's release comes at a crucial time when abortion rights have become a central issue in the 2024 presidential race.
The former president has taken a different approach to the abortion issue, maintaining that individual states should have the authority to determine abortion laws rather than the federal government.
During his own Fox & Friends appearance, Donald Trump dismissed polls showing him trailing among female voters. He attributed any challenges with women voters specifically to the abortion issue.
Trump emphasized his belief in exceptions for rape, incest, and protecting the mother's life while maintaining his position that abortion regulation should remain at the state level.
The timing of Melania's memoir and her public statements have added a new dimension to the Republican campaign narrative. Her pro-choice stance presents a contrast to the traditional Republican party position.
The issue has gained particular significance following the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, which occurred after Trump's appointments of three conservative justices during his presidency.