Melania Trump says Donald Trump 'knew my position and my beliefs' on abortion 'from the day we met'

Former first lady Melania Trump on Sunday defended her views on abortion, which she detailed in an upcoming memoir and which appear to contradict those of her husband, former President Donald Trump.

“(Donald Trump) knew my position and my beliefs from the day we met. And I believe in individual freedom. I want to decide what I want to do with my body. I think I don't want the government to be my personal business,” Melania Trump told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo in a pre-recorded interview that aired Sunday.

Her comments come days after The Guardian published excerpts from her book in which she wrote: “It is imperative to ensure that women have autonomy in deciding their preference for children, based on their own beliefs, free from any Intervention or pressure from the government.” .”

“Why should anyone other than the woman 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 added in the upcoming memoir “Melania.”

The former first lady also expressed her beliefs in a promotional video for the book released on X last week.

“Individual freedom is a fundamental principle that I protect. “There is no doubt that there is no room for compromise when it comes to this essential right that all women have from birth,” Melania Trump said in the video.

“Individual freedom. “What does ‘my body, my choice’ really mean?” she added.

Last week — about a month before Election Day — the former first lady publicly expressed her views on abortion for the first time, a particularly important issue ahead of November as Democrats seek to portray Donald Trump as someone who would try to ban abortion , if he does elected.

In Sunday's interview, Melania Trump addressed questions she faced after going public with her views so close to the election, telling Bartiromo: “Well, it wasn't in the last week or the last written month. …This book was written months before and was in print months before. So that was my belief, and that is my belief, and I wanted to put it in the book because I want to be authentic.”

Asked by Bartiromo if she feared voters might change their minds about her husband because of her views, the former first lady replied: “I’m not worried. Everyone has to decide what they want to do.”

The former first lady said Donald Trump “knew” her position would be in the book, adding: “He lets me be who I am and he lets me believe what I believe. “He lets me be my own be a person. And he respects that and I respect that because I let him be his own person. He has different beliefs and will do what he believes in.”

Melania Trump's comments echoed her husband's comments to Fox News on Thursday, in which he said: “We talked about it and I said, 'You have to write what you believe.' I'm not going to tell you what to do. You have to write what you believe.'”

“She’s very popular,” he added. “People love our former first lady, I can tell you that, but I said, 'You have to stick with your heart.' I told everyone: 'You have to go with your heart.'”

Earlier this week, Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he would veto an abortion ban if someone crossed his desk as president. The former president's views on the issue have continued to evolve.

In May 2023, Trump celebrated the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade by writing in a social media post: “After 50 years of failure in which no one came close, I could Roe.” vs. Killing Wade, much to the success.” 'Shock' to everyone.”

And when he was president, Trump called on the Senate to pass a 20-week limit on abortions that the House had already passed.

Earlier this year, the former president flirted with a federal abortion limit of 15 weeks. “The number of weeks now is – people agree on 15, and I think in that regard, and something will come out that is very reasonable.” But people are really – even hardliners agree – it seems 15 “Weeks seems to be a number that people agree on,” he said in a WABC radio interview.

And in August, Trump told NBC News that Florida's six-week abortion ban, signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, was “too short.” Trump added: “There has to be more time.”

Days later, he made it clear that he would vote against a Florida ballot initiative this year that would guarantee a right to abortion until the fetus is viable.