Melania Trump Issues First Statement Following Donald Trump’s Indictment

Then-President Donald Trump and then-first lady Melania Trump walk to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, on Dec. 23, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

A spokesperson for former First Lady Melania Trump responded to speculative reports around her relationship with former President Donald Trump after his arraignment in Manhattan last week.

“News organizations have made assumptions about the former First Lady’s stance on subjects that are personal, professional, and political over the past few weeks,” said a statement issued Tuesday by the Office of Melania Trump’s Twitter account. “In these articles, unnamed sources are cited to bolster the author’s claims.”

The statement then added that “we ask readers to exercise caution and good judgment when determining whether or not stories concerning the former First Lady are accurate, particularly when they fail to cite Mrs. Trump as a source of information.” Other details were not provided by the former first lady, who also posted “Happy Easter!” on Instagram Sunday.

In the past week, the New York Post, Daily Mail, and other tabloids have published numerous speculative reports, including one titled “Melania nowhere to be seen at Trump’s post-arraignment Mar-a-Lago speech.” Days later, the NY Post published another article saying the former first lady was “seen for the first time” since Trump’s arrest at a Mar-a-Lago brunch with the former president, and the Daily Mail has posted articles with similar headlines over the past week or so.

Last week, Trump made a speech after he was arraigned in Manhattan on charges connected to payments made to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records, while denying any wrongdoing in the speech and on his social media platform.

Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, flew home to Florida after the arraignment and spoke to a crowd of supporters, which was live-streamed. A reporter with the NY Post attended the event and asked MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell about Melania’s whereabouts. “I don’t know. I’m gonna go find out,” he said in response as he walked out of the ballroom, according to the Post.

Three of the former commander-in-chief’s children—Donald Trump Jr., Tiffany Trump, and Eric Trump—attended the event. Other supporters included Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Lindell, and Arizona GOP candidate Kari Lake.

Case

Prosecutors said Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy, and then concealing the true nature of the hush money payments. The payments were made to Daniels, former model Karen McDougal, and a doorman, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

During his speech, Trump again claimed that the investigation was politically motivated, criticizing District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the judge in the New York case. “The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it,” Trump said.

On Truth Social, Trump has often posted about the case and Bragg, effectively making the case the central theme of his 2024 presidential campaign. A number of polls taken after the arraignment have shown that Trump is far ahead of other declared and undeclared GOP candidates.

“The Democrat Party of DISINFORMATION is working full time saying that the reason D.A. Bragg’s ‘charge’ is so weak is that it is going to help me get the Republican Nomination, and I’m the one they want to run against,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Actually, it’s weak because they have NOTHING (but HATE!), and I’m the last person they want to run against. They said the same thing in 2016, and how did that work out? The Disinformation Democrats only do it to demean me, but I’ve had a lot worse things said. MAGA!”

Lawyers for Trump, meanwhile, have publicly indicated they will soon file a motion to dismiss Bragg’s case. They have suggested that their arguments will be centered around alleged selective prosecution.

“I don’t think this case is going to see a jury. I think it’s going to go away on papers. I think there’s going a legal challenge that needs to be made and will be made successfully,” lawyer Joe Tacopina told ABC News’ “Good Morning America” last week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.