Two sources speaking to CNN claim that as violence began to ramp up at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, an aide to then-President Trump reached out to First Lady Melania Trump and asked her if she would issue a statement designed to tamp down the violence, but she declined.
Trump’s aide Stephanie Grisham sent Melania a text, asking, “Do you want to tweet that peaceful protests are the right of every American, but there is no place for lawlessness and violence?” According to CNN, Melania responded with a simple “No.”
From CNN:
CNN reported in January that [Melania Trump] was at the White House during the insurrection, overseeing a photo shoot of a carpet she had installed. At no time on January 6 did Trump call off the photo shoot, nor did she publicly speak out in any way about the atrocities being committed by supporters of her husband, President Donald Trump, two miles away on Capitol Hill, even as barricades were torn down and attackers entered the Capitol building.
It was not until January 11, five days after the insurrection, that Trump in part condemned the violence.
The revelations are detailed in Grisham’s upcoming tell-all book, “I’ll Take Your Questions Now.”
In a statement to POLITICO, Melania said the intent of Grisham’s book is “obvious.”
“It is an attempt to redeem herself after a poor performance as press secretary, failed personal relationships, and unprofessional behavior in the White House,” the statement read. “Through mistruth and betrayal, she seeks to gain relevance and money at the expense of Mrs. Trump.”
Grisham served as a loyal Trump deputy for five years, and briefly served as White House press secretary before returning to the role of Melania’s chief of staff.
