CHICAGO — Melania Trump has publicly expressed her support for abortion rights, a stance that sharply contrasts with her husband, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, as her memoir approaches release.
In a video shared on her social media, the former first lady advocated for women’s “individual freedoms” concerning their bodies, directly opposing much of the Republican Party’s stance and her husband’s inconsistent position on abortion.
“Individual freedom is a fundamental principle that I safeguard,” she stated in the video. “Without a doubt, there is no room for compromise when it comes to this essential right that all women possess from birth: individual freedom. What does ‘my body, my choice’ really mean?”
Her comments align with excerpts from her memoir, which is set to be published next Tuesday, where she contends that the choice to terminate a pregnancy should be made by a woman and her healthcare provider, free from governmental pressure.
“Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body?” Melania Trump wrote. “A woman’s fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes.”
She noted that this belief has been a constant throughout her adult life.
These views starkly contrast with the GOP’s anti-abortion stance and Donald Trump’s record of supporting measures that have undermined reproductive rights, including the appointment of justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade. Democrats have criticized Trump for his role in instigating severe restrictions on abortion access across the country.
In response to the video, Donald Trump stated that he had encouraged Melania to express her true beliefs in her writing.
“We spoke about it. And I said, you have to write what you believe,” he told Fox News. “There are some people that are very, very far right on the issue, meaning without exceptions, and then there are other people that view it a little bit differently.”
Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign remarked on Trump’s role in the abortion conversation, highlighting the negative impact of his policies on women’s rights. “Sadly for the women across America, Mrs. Trump’s husband firmly disagrees with her,” said campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika.
While Donald Trump has more recently indicated he would veto a federal abortion ban, advocates remain doubtful of his commitment to protecting reproductive rights.
Critics, including Alexis McGill Johnson from Planned Parenthood, accused the Trump family of exploiting voter sentiment. “As president, (Trump) made it his mission to get Roe v. Wade overturned,” she stated, emphasizing Melania’s passive stance until now.
Democratic strategist Brittany Crampsie suggested that Melania’s views in the memoir are a strategic move to attract moderate voters while questioning the effectiveness of this approach.
Melania Trump also discussed abortion in later stages of pregnancy, arguing that such cases usually arise from severe complications with pregnancies and are determined after extensive consultations with healthcare providers.
Her statements are sharply at odds with Donald Trump’s claims about late-term abortions, which have been criticized as misleading.
The national anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America condemned Melania Trump’s views but indicated the need to focus on opposing Kamala Harris.
Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor, noted that it is not uncommon for first ladies to hold more supportive views on abortion rights than their husbands.
Donald Trump publicly promoted Melania’s forthcoming book at a rally, suggesting his supporters should purchase it, yet it remains unclear if he has read the memoir.