In her forthcoming memoir, former First Lady Melania Trump makes a rare political statement, breaking away from her husband’s stance on abortion. The Guardian reported Wednesday that Melania’s new book, set to be released just a month before the election, emphasizes her belief in women’s autonomy over their reproductive choices.
“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,” Melania writes in the memoir. “Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body? A woman’s fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes.”
Melania further argues that restrictions on abortion infringe upon women’s control over their bodies. “Restricting a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying her control over her own body. I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life,” she continued.
This direct stance from Melania is notable, as she has remained largely absent from political discourse in recent years. Her comments mark a rare divergence from former President Donald Trump, whose position on abortion has fluctuated over time. During his presidency, Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade, which allowed states to implement strict abortion bans.
Some of these bans have been linked to dangerous consequences for women, including fatalities. Donald Trump’s position on abortion has been inconsistent. While running for president in 2016, he suggested, and later walked back, the idea that women who get abortions should face “punishment.”
More recently, he falsely claimed that “everyone” in both political parties wanted Roe overturned. Though he criticized six-week abortion bans as “too harsh,” Trump voted against an amendment in Florida that would have rolled back a six-week ban, leaving his overall stance ambiguous.
Meanwhile, Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), has advocated for a nationwide abortion ban in the past. However, Vance has more recently softened his rhetoric, attempting to downplay the likelihood of such a ban.
Melania Trump’s memoir, with its strong statements on abortion rights, is likely to spark debate, particularly given her quiet public persona and the timing of its release just before the election.