“It’s about autonomy,” Melania Trump erupts, contradicting husband Donald’s views on abortion in her memoir

Donald Trump's wife Melania Trump has come out strongly in favor of abortion rights in her upcoming memoir, “Melania,” a contrast to her husband's stance on the issue.

As The Guardian reports, Melania claims that the decision to have an abortion should rest solely with the woman, stating: “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.”

She goes on to say that restricting a woman's right to choose would be tantamount to denying her autonomy over her body, a belief she claims to have held throughout her adult life.

“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,” she wrote.

It is “essential to ensure that women have the autonomy to decide their preference for children based on their own beliefs, free from any intervention or pressure from the government,” the former first lady says.

The excerpts from her book come as the political landscape heats up ahead of the Nov. 5 election, in which abortion rights are expected to be a central issue.

Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has frequently boasted that his three Supreme Court decisions paved the way for the repeal of the pivotal Roe v. Wade — the nation's right to abortion — in 2022.

Since then, at least 20 states have enforced full or partial abortion restrictions.

He recently expressed support for allowing states to set their own abortion restrictions. He had previously suggested supporting a national ban after 15 weeks.

A spokesman for Harris' campaign clearly noted in an email comment to Reuters that Melania Trump's views were in stark contrast to those of her husband: “Unfortunately for women across America, Ms. Trump's husband strongly disagrees and is the reason that more than …” One in three American women are living under a Trump abortion ban that threatens their health, their freedom and their lives.

(With contributions from agencies)