Melania Trump describes in her new memoir how she convinced her husband, then president Donald Trump, to drop his signature hardline immigration policy in which migrant children are separated from their parents, sparking domestic and international uproar.
“This has to stop,” the former first lady said to her husband, “emphasizing the trauma that has caused this family” and seeing him quickly comply, ending the policy on June 20, 2018.
Not only a spousal disagreement revealed in the memoir, Melania, which will be published in the US next week. The Guardian obtained a copy.
Melania Trump also delivered a passionate defense of abortion rights significantly weakened by the Supreme Court where her husband appointed three hardline justices and in further attacks as he re-runs for the White House.
Like abortion and reproductive rights, immigration is a hot-button issue in the campaign that will culminate on November 5 when Americans choose Trump or Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, as president for the next four years.
“Occasional political arguments between my husband and I are part of our relationship,” wrote Melania Trump, “but I believe in addressing them privately rather than challenging him publicly. I find our discussions more productive when we can have a quiet dialogue at home , out of the public eye.
He wrote about his immigration issues: “Given my past experiences with unfair media narratives, I always approach the news with skepticism. Before discussing the border crisis with him, I really educated myself about the situation.
Reports of children “held in overcrowded detention centers and in dire conditions … raise serious questions about their health and well-being. The lack of a clear plan for family reunification and the absence of a definitive policy on these separations only adds to public anger. I felt strongly that the situation demanded prompt attention and action.
Describing approaching her husband “whose hard-line stance on immigration is well known”, Trump wrote: “I have compassion for all those who want to find a good life in this country. As an immigrant myself, I know very well that the process is important if it is to become legal to be an American .
Born in Slovenia, Trump became a US citizen in July 2006, eight years after meeting Donald Trump and shortly after giving birth to her son, Barron. In the same month, Donald Trump had a sexual encounter with adult film star Stormy Daniels from which arose his 34 felony convictions for hush-money payments.
Melania did not discuss the scandal in her book. Regarding the separation of children, she continued: “Although I support a strong border, what is happening at the border is simply not acceptable. I immediately spoke to Donald about the deep problem of family separation, emphasizing the trauma that causes this family. As a mother myself, I stressed: ‘The government should not take children away from their parents.’ I communicated very clearly … ‘This has to stop.’
“Donald assured me that he would investigate the matter, and on June 20, he announced the end of the family separation policy.”
The first female intervention was reported at that time. Also widely reported was an incident that occurred when he visited the southern border himself.
The first visit made him think “the root cause” of family separation “is not the government but the dangerous influence of the criminal cartels in the country of origin”.
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But when he made his second trip to meet desperate migrant children, he caused controversy by traveling in a jacket emblazoned with the slogan, “I don’t care, do you?” that many may not notice the best and the worst.
On the page, Trump said the message, which he called “discreet but powerful”, was intended as a protest against reports with anonymous sources.
“I am determined … not to let the media’s false narrative affect my mission to help children and families at the border,” he wrote. “In fact, I decided to let them know that their criticism will never stop me from doing what I feel is right. To do this, I wear a special jacket when I get on the plane, a jacket that quickly became famous.
“As the plane doors closed, my press secretary’s inbox was flooded with important emails from top-tier media outlets about the jacket … my opinion’ [but] I said I can’t say that. ‘Why not? This is the truth.’ I disagreed with his insistence that I could not say that. Ignoring my comment, he told the CNN reporter that he was friendly and it was just a jacket, a fashion choice with no underlying message.
Trump called the ensuing uproar “over the importance of children, borders, and policy changes” and “just another example of the media’s irresponsible behavior”.
But his press secretary blamed him for communicating “misinformation” about the jacket, Stephanie Grisham, writing in her own book that when the two women returned to Washington DC, they were told by the president. Disputing claims Melania wore a jacket to target the media, Grisham said Donald Trump presented the idea, shouting: “You just tell them you’re talking to the bastard press.”
Recent reports suggest a different motive for Melania. According to Katie Rogers, a New York Times reporter, the episode was part of a four-year “internal power struggle” between Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump’s daughter and senior adviser.
As Rogers explained, Melania and Ivanka were “locked in a quiet competition for press coverage”, prompting the first lady to scrutinize every “press mention…[ing] Twitter to see what the press, his critics, and his supporters are saying about him” — and then find ways to increase that kind of coverage.
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