Melania Trump made an extraordinary announcement in her long-awaited memoir, which will be published a month after Election Day: She is an ardent supporter of a woman’s right to control her own body — including the right to an abortion.
“It is necessary to ensure that women have the independence to decide their preference to have children, based on their own convictions, without any interference or pressure from the government,” the wife of the Republican candidate wrote, amid a campaign in which Donald Trump threatened to have children. Women’s reproductive rights played a central role.
Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to decide what she does with her body? A woman’s fundamental right to individual freedom, in her private life, gives her the power to terminate her pregnancy if she so desires.
“Restricting a woman’s right to choose to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying her control over her body. I have carried this belief with me throughout my adult life.
Melania Trump rarely expresses political opinions publicly. Her book, Melania, which reveals that the former first lady was out of touch with most members of her party, will be published in the US next Tuesday. The Guardian newspaper obtained a copy.
Melania Trump’s new book. Photo: Sky Horse
Her decision to include an explicit expression of support for abortion rights is striking not only given her proximity to a Republican candidate running on an anti-abortion platform, but also given the sharp decline in women’s reproductive rights under Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
In 2022, in the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson, three justices, appointed while Donald Trump was president, voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, a ruling that had protected federal abortion rights since 1973. Since then, states administered by Republicans impose a strict ban on abortion.
Donald Trump has tried to take credit for the Dobbs decision — long a major target of donors, evangelical Catholic voters and conservatives — and deflect the outrage it sparked, saying abortion rights should be decided by the states.
But Democrats have scored a string of election victories by campaigning on the issue, even in conservative states, and threats to reproductive rights, including threats to fertility treatments including artificial insemination, are an issue for Republicans up and down the ticket this year.
Amid a storm of statements that opponents consider misogynistic and reactionary, J.D. Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, has indicated he would support a national abortion ban — a move his boss’s wife appears likely to oppose.
Donald Trump himself was recently embroiled in controversy over whether he will vote in November to protect abortion rights in Florida, a ballot his wife will also cast at her Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach. He ultimately said he would vote no. Judging by her words, Melania Trump seems likely to vote yes.
Her memoir is sparse, long in describing her youth in Slovenia, her life as a model in New York, and her love for the man she became his third wife, and thus brief in discussing politics. Donald Trump delivers a blurb, praising his wife’s “commitment to excellence… and keen perspective… [and] Entrepreneurial Achievements.
Before discussing abortion, Melania Trump says she disagreed with her husband over some aspects of immigration policy, not least because she is an immigrant.
“The occasional political disagreements between my husband and me are part of our relationship, but I believed in addressing them privately rather than challenging him publicly,” she writes.
However, later in her book, she states views on abortion and reproductive rights that are diametrically opposed to those of her husband and his party.
“I have always believed it is important for people to take care of themselves first,” Melania Trump wrote. “It is a very clear and straightforward concept; in fact, we are all born with a set of basic rights, including the right to enjoy our lives. We are all entitled to maintain a fulfilling and dignified life.
“This commonsense approach applies to women’s inherent right to make decisions about their bodies and health.”
Trump says her beliefs on abortion rights stem from a “core set of principles,” at the heart of which lie “individual liberty” and “personal liberty,” about which “there is no room for negotiation.”
It details “legitimate reasons why a woman may choose to have an abortion,” including risk to the mother’s life, rape or incest, often exceptions under state bans, and also “a birth defect, as well as serious medical conditions.”
Saying that “timing matters,” Melania Trump is also defending the right to an abortion later in pregnancy.
“It is important to note that historically, most abortions performed during the late stages of pregnancy were the result of serious fetal abnormalities that likely resulted in death or stillbirth,” she writes. And perhaps even the death of the mother. These cases were extremely rare and usually occurred after several consultations between the woman and her doctor. As a society, we must embrace these common-sense standards. “Again, timing is important.”
More than 90% of miscarriages in the United States occur at or before 13 weeks of pregnancy, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Less than 1% of miscarriages occur at or after 21 weeks.
During the campaign, Republicans blatantly mischaracterized Democrats’ positions on abortion. Last month, while debating Kamala Harris, Donald Trump falsely said that his “opponent’s vice presidential pick…says a nine-month abortion is perfectly fine.” [Tim Walz] He also says: “‘Death after birth’ – execution, not having an abortion because of the birth of the child – is OK.”
IT’S VERIFIED: It is not legal in any state to kill a child after it is born.
In response to news of Melania Trump’s support for abortion rights, Sarafina Chytyka, a spokeswoman for the Harris-Walls campaign, said in a statement: “It is sad for women across America that Ms. Trump’s husband so vehemently disagrees with her, which is why More Lives as one of… Every three American women under Trump’s abortion ban threaten their health, freedom and lives.
“Donald Trump has made it abundantly clear: If he wins in November, he will ban abortion across the country, penalize women, and restrict women’s access to reproductive health care.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately comment.
On social media, Melania Trump doubled down, posting a short video in which she paraphrased statements in her book.
On the page, Melania Trump issues a distinctly un-Trumpian appeal for empathy.
“Many women choose abortions because of personal medical concerns,” she wrote. “These situations with significant moral implications weigh heavily on the woman and her family and deserve our sympathy. Consider, for example, the complexity inherent in the decision about whether a mother should risk her life to give birth.
Recent reports have highlighted cases of women dying in states where abortion is prohibited.
She continues to plead for mercy.
“When young women face an unexpected pregnancy, they often experience feelings of isolation and extreme stress. I, like most Americans, support the requirement that juveniles obtain parental consent before obtaining an abortion. I realize that this may not always be possible. Our next generation must be provided with knowledge and security Safety and solace, and the cultural stigma associated with abortion must be lifted.
Finally, Melania Trump offers an expression of solidarity with protesters for reproductive rights.
“The slogan ‘My body, my choice’ is commonly associated with women activists and those who align with the pro-choice side of the debate,” she writes. “But if you really think about it, the phrase ‘my body, my choice’ applies to both aspects – a woman’s right to make an independent decision about her body, including the right to choose life. Personal freedom.”
