Why Melania Trump isn’t ashamed of her nude photoshoot and five other things we learnt from her memoir

Former first lady talks about her relationship with Donald’s family — and how she persuaded him to change a policy

Melania Trump has said she is not ashamed of posing nude because she is European and “more open and accepting” of the female body.
In the months before the 2016 election, the New York Post published nude pictures from early in Mrs Trump’s career along with the headline “you’ve never seen a potential first lady like this”.
In her memoir, which was released on Tuesday, Mrs Trump, 54, says the photographs “were not a source of shame for me”.
“My upbringing in Europe had fostered a different perspective on nudity, a more open and accepting attitude”, she writes.
“We were accustomed to beaches where nudity was commonplace, a natural and uncontroversial aspect of life.
“Attitudes toward the female body in the United States were starkly different.”
Mrs Trump adds that the female body “was once revered and honored in Western culture” and “nudity was a medium through which humanity was elevated and celebrated”.
She writes: “This sentiment resonated deeply with me when I posed for Vogue during my pregnancy. I believed then, as I do now, that women should take pride in their bodies, not feel shame.
“During my modeling days, posing nude was commonplace and hardly scandalous.
“To me, those images were artistic and tasteful, fitting for a publication like Max [the French magazine which ran them], which showcased many renowned supermodels.
“Unfortunately, these photographs were now being exploited for profit.”
In her tell-all book, Melania Trump also addresses the fallout from her 2016 speech at the Republican National Convention, for which she was accused of plagiarizing Michelle Obama’s remarks from the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Mrs Trump says she felt a “profound sense of betrayal” after she realized the “undeniable similarities between the two speeches”.
Meredith McIver, an in-house writer at the Trump Organization, had been appointed to help her with speechwriting.
“Looking back, I realized that I had relied too much on others in this crucial endeavor”, the former first lady writes.
“I assumed the professionals on the campaign would do whatever was necessary and appropriate for such an important speech.
“I trusted that any and all political and legal vetting had been taken care of, but I now realized that the campaign and the RNC had left me on my own.”
She accuses the staff members of failing to “perform their duty” by not implementing “even the most fundamental safeguard”.
“This negligence left me feeling completely abandoned. I felt a deep sense of outrage and disappointment”, she writes.
Elsewhere in the book, she speaks kindly of Mrs Obama as she describes her showing her around the White House before she and her husband moved to Washington DC.
But she adds that the Trumps were unable to start preparations for moving into the residence weeks before the inauguration, as is customary, because of “protocols and politics”.
“Sadly, our team did not receive the access we had requested to visit the White House residence in December”, she writes.
“Despite reaching out to the Obamas’ team and requesting a convenient time for our visit, we did not receive a response for weeks. When we finally received the information, it was filled with errors.
“This delayed the planning process, and I was only able to begin renovations after the inauguration, once we were already in the White House. Those three weeks would have been crucial for taking measurements, fathering plans, and starting preparations.”
Melania Trump reveals she has a “friendship” with the Royal family and is pen pals with King Charles.
The former first lady writes that during a visit to the UK in 2019 she sat next to the then Prince of Wales and they had an “interesting conversation about his deep-rooted commitment to environmental conservation”.
“It was an absolute pleasure to connect with him”, she writes.
“The following night, Donald and I hosted an intimate dinner in honor of Prince Charles and the Duchess at the US ambassador’s residence — a perfect expression of the enduring ties between our nations.”
She adds of Queen Elizabeth: “Sadly, Her Majesty wasn’t able to visit us again before her death in 2022, but our friendship with the Royal family continues, and we exchange letters with King Charles to this day”.
Meanwhile, she reveals that the King sent a private letter to the Republican presidential candidate after an attempt was made on his life while he held a rally in Pennsylvania in July.
Buckingham Palace has not revealed the contents of that message.
Describing a warm relationship with the late Queen, Mrs Trump says that during her state visit to the UK in 2018 their conversation “extended far beyond the scheduled time” and they had “truly connected”.
“Her Majesty had graciously poured us tea and offered us scones with jam, while her cherished corgis lounged at her feet”, Mrs Trump writes.
Writing about their “truly unforgettable” visit to Buckingham Palace the following year, Mrs Trump says she and her husband “were greeted by Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall” who escorted them to the Queen.
“Amid the pomp of the ceremonial welcome by British guards, a sudden gust of wind ruffled my hat,” she adds.
“I quickly grabbed at it to hold it in place and shared an unrestrained moment of laughter with the Queen and the Duchess. It was a lighthearted and spontaneous moment in an otherwise formal and dignified occasion.”
Mrs Trump reveals she is pro-choice, writing that it is “imperative” that women are given the right to choose whether to have an abortion.
The mother-of-one’s comments are in stark contrast to her husband, who has taken credit for helping overturn Roe v Wade, the ruling dating back to the 1970s which had made abortion access a constitutional right.
“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”, Mrs Trump writes.
“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.
“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.”
Mrs Trump adds that views come from “a core set of principles” including “individual liberty” and “personal freedom” and there is “no room for negotiation”.
She also outlines “legitimate reasons” for women to have an abortion such as if the mother’s life is in danger, if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest and if there are potential birth defects.
The former model also defends the right to abortion later in pregnancy, saying that we should “embrace common-sense standards” for deciding whether a termination is appropriate.
The former first lady reveals how she convinced Donald Trump to reverse a controversial immigration policy that separated  migrant children from their families.
Melania Trump says her husband’s “hardline stance on immigration was well known” and while she supported secure borders she was “blindsided” by reports of children being separated from their parents.
“I immediately contacted my chief of staff to gather information and determine the appropriate action”, she writes, adding: “It was critical to address this situation with speed, transparency and compassion, ensuring that the policies reflected our values as a nation.”
Mrs Trump adds: “Occasional political disagreements between me and my husband were a part of our relationship, but I believed in addressing them privately rather than publicly challenging him. I found our discussions more productive when we could have a quiet dialogue at home, out of the public eye.”
The mother-of-one says she “thoroughly educated” herself on the situation before raising it with the then-president.
“I immediately addressed my deep concerns with Donald regarding the family separations, emphasizing the trauma it was causing these families”, she says.
“As a mother myself, I stressed: ‘The government should not be taking children away from their parents; I communicated with great clarity during that conversation: ‘This has to stop.’”
Mrs Trump said her husband “assured” her he would look into the issue and later signed an executive order ending the family separation policy.
Melania Trump hits out at “baseless accusations” that she is a “gold digger” and is only with Donald Trump for his money.
Describing the reaction from the press when their relationship first became public, she writes: “They couldn’t see past our 24-year age difference. The gossip columns labeled me a ‘gold digger’, insinuating my affection for him was solely motivated by his wealth.”
She adds: “Such baseless accusations could never tarnish the love and connection we shared. I was already a thriving model, enjoying my success when our paths crossed.
“I had earned my fortune and could have easily captured the attention of numerous celebrities if I had so desired. His age was never a concern for me.”
Later in the book Mrs Trump also claims footage of her refusing to hold her husband’s hand away during a visit to Israel was “distorted” to insinuate they were having marital issues.
The mother-of-one said the media “distorted a simple moment between myself and my husband”.
“As we walked down the red carpet, I gently waved away his attempt to hold my hand. The media labeled it a ‘swat’ and used it as supposed evidence of marital discord”, she writes.
“This false narrative has been perpetuated since the beginning of the campaign, and it was disheartening to see how eager people were to believe in it.”
Mrs Trump said it was a “misunderstanding”. Protocol dictated that the world leaders should walk side by side with their spouses behind, but Benjamin Netanyahu ended up holding his wife Sara’s hand.
“The red carpet simply could not accommodate all four of us abreast. I allowed my husband to continue walking with the prime minister and his wife, opting to take a step back.
“When he reached out to offer his hand, I declined, indicating that I was perfectly content walking on my own, it was a minor innocent gesture, nothing more.”
Melania Trump reveals the key to having “meaningful relationships” with all of Donald Trump’s children is to accept they will have different views.
“I recognize their individuality, understanding that, as their stepmother, my role is not to replace their mothers but to nurture a supportive and amicable connection”, Mrs Trump writes.
“This perspective has enabled me to cultivate meaningful relationships” with each of them, she adds.
“While I may not agree with every opinion or choice expressed by Donald’s grown children, nor do I align with all of Donald’s decisions, I acknowledge that differing viewpoints are a natural aspect of human relationship”, Mrs Trump writes.
“While we may share the same last name, each of us is distinct, with our own aspirations and paths to follow.”
The former first lady also attacks Rosie O’Donnell, the comedian who tweeted in 2016 suggesting her son Barron had autism.
Mrs Trump decries the “poison” of cyberbullying and says the claims were “not only cruel and invasive but also completely unfounded.”
“Bullying a 10-year-old is egregious, but doing so under the flimsy pretense of ‘bringing awareness’ to a condition many people genuinely suffer from was truly repulsive”, Mrs Trump writes.
O’Donnell later apologized for her comments, but Mrs Trump adds: “Barron’s experience of being bullied both online and in real life following the incident is a clear indication of the irreparable damage caused.
“No apology can undo the harm inflicted upon him.”