Melania Trump passionately defends abortion rights in her upcoming memoir Melania Trump

Melania Trump made an extraordinary statement in her highly anticipated memoir, set to be released a month after Election Day: She is a passionate advocate for a woman's right to control her own body — including the right to abortion.

“It is imperative to ensure that women have autonomy in deciding whether to have children based on their own beliefs, free from any intervention or pressure from the government,” writes the Republican candidate's wife in the midst of a campaign in which Donald Trump's threats to this end Women's reproductive rights have played a central role.

“Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to decide what she does with her own body? A woman's fundamental right to individual freedom and her own life gives her the power to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes.

“Restricting a woman’s right to decide 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 adult life.”

Melania Trump has rarely publicly expressed political views. The book, which reveals that the former first lady is completely at odds with most of her own party, Melania, will be published in the US next Tuesday. The Guardian obtained a copy.

Her decision to vocally express her support for abortion rights is notable, not only given her proximity to a Republican candidate running on an anti-abortion platform, but also given the severe deterioration of women's reproductive rights under Donald Trump and the GOP.

In the 2022 case Dobbs v. Jackson, three justices appointed at the time of Donald Trump's presidency voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, the ruling that had protected federal abortion rights since 1973. Since then, Republican-led states have introduced draconian abortion bans.

Donald Trump has tried to both take credit for the Dobbs decision — long the central focus of evangelical and conservative Catholic donors and voters — and avoid the anger it stoked by saying that abortion rights are decided by the states should be.

But Democrats have won a series of electoral victories by campaigning on the issue, even in conservative states, and threats to reproductive rights, including threats to fertility treatments including IVF, are proving problematic for Republicans up and down this year's ballot.

Amid a barrage of statements opponents deem misogynistic and regressive, JD Vance, Donald Trump's pick for vice president, has indicated he would support a nationwide abortion ban – a move his boss's wife appears not to be opposed to.

Donald Trump himself recently found himself embroiled in controversy over whether he would vote to protect abortion rights in Florida in November, a vote his wife will also cast since she lives at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. He finally said he would vote no. Judging by her own words, Melania Trump should vote yes.

Her memoirs are sparse, containing many descriptions of her youth in Slovenia, life as a model in New York and love for the man whose third wife she became, and correspondingly little political discussion. But Donald Trump provides a blurb, praising his wife's “commitment to excellence…insightful perspective…(and) entrepreneurial achievements.”

Before discussing abortion, Melania Trump says she disagreed with her husband on some aspects of immigration policy, not least as an immigrant.

“Occasional political differences between me and my husband,” she says, “are part of our relationship, but I have believed in addressing them privately rather than challenging him publicly.”

And yet, later in her book, she expresses views on abortion and reproductive rights that are diametrically opposed to those of her husband and his party.

“I have always believed that it is critically important for people to take care of themselves first,” writes Melania Trump of her support for abortion rights. “It’s a very simple concept; In fact, we are all born with a number of basic rights, including the right to enjoy our lives. We all have the right to live an enjoyable and dignified life.

“This common-sense approach applies to a woman’s natural right to make decisions about her own body and health.”

Melania Trump says her beliefs on abortion rights arise from “a core set of principles” centered around “individual freedom” and “personal liberty” over which there is “no room for negotiation.”

After outlining her support for abortion rights on such grounds, she details “legitimate reasons for a woman to choose to have an abortion,” including danger to the mother's life, rape, or incest, often exceptions within the scope government bans and also “a congenital birth defect and serious medical illnesses.”

Melania Trump also defends the right to abortion later in pregnancy, saying “timing is important.”

She writes, “It is important to note that historically, most abortions in later stages of pregnancy were the result of serious fetal abnormalities that would likely have resulted in death or stillbirth of the child.” Perhaps even the death of the mother. These cases were extremely rare and typically occurred after several consultations between the woman and her doctor. As a community, we should embrace these common sense standards. Again, it’s all about timing.”

According to the CDC, more than 90% of abortions in the United States occur at or before 13 weeks of pregnancy. Less than 1% of abortions occur at 21 weeks or later.

During the election campaign, Republicans blatantly misrepresented Democrats' positions on abortion. Last month, during his debate over Kamala Harris, Donald Trump incorrectly said that his Democratic opponent's election as vice president meant that an abortion in the ninth month was absolutely OK. (Tim Walz) also says: 'Execution after birth' – execution, not abortion because the baby is born – is OK.”

He was fact-checked: It is not legal to kill a baby after birth in any state.

On the site, Melania Trump makes a decidedly un-Trump appeal to empathy.

“Many women choose to have an abortion for personal medical reasons,” she writes. “These situations, with significant moral implications, place a heavy burden on the woman and her family and deserve our compassion. Consider, for example, the complexity of deciding whether the mother should risk her own life to give birth to a child.”

Recent reports have highlighted cases of women who have died in states that ban abortion.

She continues to appeal for compassion.

“When young women are faced with an unexpected pregnancy, they often feel a sense of isolation and great stress. Like most Americans, I support requiring teens to obtain parental consent before having an abortion. I realize this may not always be possible. Our next generation must be empowered with knowledge, security and comfort, and the cultural stigma associated with abortion must be eliminated,” the former first lady wrote.

Finally, Melania Trump expresses her solidarity with the reproductive rights protesters.

“The slogan 'My Body, My Choice' is typically associated with activists and those who align with the pro-choice side of the debate,” she writes. “But if you really think about it, 'My body, my choice' applies to both sides – a woman's right to make an independent decision about her own body, including the right to choose life. Personal freedom.”