On Wednesday, former first lady Melania Trump posted a new video on social media, defending her previous nude modeling work while promoting her upcoming book. The video, shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, addressed the ongoing scrutiny of her past modeling career, including the nude photoshoots that gained significant attention during the 2016 presidential campaign.
“Why do I stand proudly behind my nude modeling work? The more pressing question is: Why has the media chosen to scrutinize my celebration of the human form in a fashion photo shoot?” Melania Trump said in the video. She expressed her frustration at how the media has focused on her past work, rather than embracing the artistic side of the photos. The former first lady elaborated, “Are we no longer able to appreciate the beauty of the human body? Throughout history, master artists have revered the human shape, evoking profound emotions and admiration.”
Melania Trump stressed the importance of honoring and celebrating the human body, explaining that art has long been a means of self-expression. “We should honor our bodies and embrace the timeless tradition of using art as a powerful means of self-expression,” she added.
Despite these statements, a spokesperson for Melania Trump did not provide any further explanation about the specific media scrutiny she was addressing or if the nude photos had been the subject of recent attention.
The video also served as a promotion for her upcoming memoir titled Melania, set to be released in October by Skyhorse Publishing. According to a statement from her office, the book is described as “a powerful and inspiring story of a woman who has carved her own path, overcome adversity, and defined personal excellence.”
Melania Trump’s history of nude modeling first made headlines during the 2016 presidential campaign when The New York Post published a series of nude photos from a 1995 photoshoot. These images were originally taken for a French men’s magazine, now defunct, and had not been previously available online. The cover story, titled “The Ogle Office,” caused a stir in the media, but her husband, Donald Trump, quickly came to her defense. He told the newspaper, “The photographs were taken for a European magazine before the two knew each other and that ‘pictures like this are very fashionable and common.’”
Additionally, a 2000 British GQ cover that featured Melania Trump posing nude on Donald Trump’s private plane resurfaced during the campaign. Around the same time as the publication of this photoshoot, Melania Trump received a green card through the EB-1 program, which is reserved for individuals with extraordinary abilities. This raised some eyebrows, as her eligibility for this elite immigration program came into question. *The Washington Post* reported on this aspect of her legal residency, but it did not significantly impact her husband’s campaign.
Donald Trump and Melania were married in 2005, and she became his third wife. His previous two marriages, to Ivana Zelníčková and Marla Maples, were also to models, establishing a pattern in the former president’s personal relationships. During his business career, Donald Trump also had ties to the modeling industry, having owned Trump Model Management, which he later closed after assuming the presidency in 2017.
In contrast to the flurry of media attention during the 2016 campaign, Melania Trump has maintained a relatively low public profile during her husband’s 2024 presidential run. Since the former president announced his bid for a third term in the White House, she has made only a handful of public appearances. These include his campaign kickoff at their Mar-a-Lago estate in November 2022, a brief appearance in March when she accompanied him to vote in the Florida primary, and her attendance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee over the summer.
While her public visibility has been limited, Melania Trump has voiced her support for her husband. In July, after an assassination attempt on Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, she released a letter expressing gratitude to the Secret Service and law enforcement for their role in protecting him. She also shared her thoughts on the American people in the aftermath of the incident, writing, “I am thinking of my fellow Americans” in the wake of the attempted attack.
In recent months, Melania Trump has gradually returned to the political scene as the 2024 election campaign intensifies. Earlier this month, she posted a series of politically charged videos on social media, signaling her involvement in her husband’s political endeavors as the race for the presidency continues to heat up.
According to Trump campaign advisers and close associates, Melania has been privately supportive of her husband’s political aspirations. However, they emphasize that she has remained focused on raising their son, Barron, and that her political appearances have been carefully chosen. They describe her as being very selective about the events she attends.
Though she has avoided the public eye for much of the year, Melania Trump has appeared at several private events. In July, she hosted a fundraiser for the Log Cabin Republicans, a conservative LGBTQ group, at her New York City residence in Trump Tower. She also joined her husband at an April fundraiser held at the home of investor John Paulson.
As the 2024 presidential campaign enters its final stages, Melania Trump’s level of involvement remains to be seen. However, her recent re-emergence in the political spotlight through social media and selective appearances suggests that she may be positioning herself to play a more prominent role as her husband’s campaign moves forward.
Her upcoming memoir, which is expected to offer personal insights into her life and experiences, could also provide a deeper understanding of her perspective on both her past modeling career and her time as the first lady of the United States. Whether or not she will address the controversy surrounding her nude modeling photos directly in the book remains uncertain. However, her recent public statements defending her work suggest that she continues to stand by her past and remains unapologetic about the artistic expression involved in her early modeling career.
