Melania Trump opened up about an infamous incident that took place during her husband, Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. She candidly revealed that the controversy over her Republican National Convention speech made her feel like she was let down.
The soon-to-be First Lady of the United States opined that she “felt abandoned” by the fact that her speech had striking similarities with Michelle Obama‘s 2008 speech. The mishap that baffled Melania made her call out the Trump campaign staff and she further even blamed one key member responsible for it.
To the uninformed, the scandal began when Melania’s speech bore remarkable similarities to Michelle Obama’s 2008 DNC speech. In her book, Melania admits she felt a deep “sense of betrayal” upon finding the overlap. She lashed out at the campaign staff for not following basic procedure, asking, “Why was the speech not vetted?”
Because Melania Trump is trending, it’s my civic duty to repost the time the worst First Lady in history plagiarized Michelle Obama’s speech almost word for word. pic.twitter.com/tdr9BGAbXo
— 𝐜𝓪𝐍ά𝕕ค ђⓐŦ𝒆𝐒 𝓣яยᵐᑭ (@AntiTrumpCanada) September 26, 2024
Melania Trump reportedly claimed her speech was “compiled” by writer and longtime friend Meredith McIver, of the Trump Organization. Preparatory work for her inaugural speech included perusing speeches made by other First Ladies, starting perhaps with Michelle Obama, which could’ve inspired Melania to take the “working hard while maintaining integrity to be kind” angle, though these were things she learned living in Slovenia since childhood. She recalled that she had discussed these values with McIver and then directed her to prepare the speech.
On the day of the RNC, Melania addressed those in the assembly quite confidently, and there was applause alongside commendations over her delivery. However, this confidence was very soon replaced by shock when allegations of plagiarism began surfacing. She remembered that it was a “weight” that hit her much harder than anything else that she had ever experienced before.
Did she plagiarise Michelle Obamas book?
Melania Trump and Michelle Obama side-by-side speech comparison pic.twitter.com/rb7ZYqdCPD
— ⭐️Daisy (@DaisyIsStarDust) September 5, 2024
Feeling frustrated and blindsided, Melania turned to her husband, Donald Trump, and demanded to know why the speech wasn’t properly reviewed. Trump, despite sharing her disappointment, couldn’t provide an answer. The backlash grew as critics pointed out exact phrases lifted from Michelle Obama’s speech. Melania admits that she had relied too much on others in this important task, a mistake she deeply regrets.
In the wake of the scandal, McIver issued a public apology with the Trump Organization letterhead. She acknowledged her mistake, stating, “This was my fault, and I feel terrible for the chaos I caused Melania, the Trumps, and Mrs. Obama. No harm was intended.”
Despite the apology, the damage was already done. Melania wrote that the campaign’s negligence and failure to protect her left her feeling abandoned as she harshly criticized the team’s lack of oversight, calling it a betrayal that deeply affected her during a pivotal moment in her life.
