Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Melania Trump's former friend and aide, says things would be different if the former first lady makes a return to the White House.
Winston Wolkoff, who wrote the 2020 book Melania and Me about their 15-year friendship, said on the MeidasTouch podcast that Melania "never wanted to be there in the first place" when it came to being first lady—and she may once again take that position if her husband Donald Trump, the likely Republican candidate for the 2024 election, wins the presidential race later this year.
"It doesn't matter if Melania is there or not," Winston Wolkoff said after describing how Melania will have "a lot more freedom" now that her son, Barron Trump, is turning 18.
Winston Wolkoff also pointed out Trump's blemished record on women's rights and sexual assault allegations, arguing that Melania's return to the White House would not signal any change in Trump's attitudes toward women.
"It's very easy to use words, and that's who Melania is," Winston Wolkoff said.
"She can talk about independence, she can talk about grace, but they're empty words, they mean nothing," she said, adding that Melania becoming the first lady again would be "the most tragic thing for our country."
"Giving her that platform [would] do positively, absolutely nothing, except create more controversy," she said.
Newsweek contacted Stephanie Winston Wolkoff via Facebook and the Trump campaign via email for comment.
Since leaving the White House in January 2021, the former first lady has made very rare public appearances, even as her husband continues on the campaign trail. She was recently seen at the funeral of her mother, Amalija Knavs, who died on January 9.
Staying out of the spotlight is "by design," Winston Wolkoff said.
"If says nothing, there is nothing for anyone to report. If she doesn't give an interview, there is nothing for anyone to say," she said of the former first lady.
However, she also recently accused Melania of using speculation about her whereabouts to "stay relevant."
"If Melania Trump ever took her former role seriously she would've released a FACTUAL statement explaining to the American people why she wasn't present. But instead, Melania knows the media will inquire further which keeps her relevant and she gets a kick out of the speculation," Winston Wolkoff wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, in December.
Winston Wolkoff's relationship with Melania and her family broke down over a controversy surrounding Donald Trump's 2017 inauguration. It was reported that a company she founded received $26 million for its role in the inauguration and she personally earned $1.6 million. She denied the allegations in a 2019 statement to The New York Times, saying that she was not fired and never received the money.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Shannon Power is a Greek-Australian reporter, but now calls London home. They have worked as across three continents in print, ... Read more
