In her latest memoir, “Melania,” Melania Trump, the former First Lady, directly tackles the persistent rumors surrounding her son Barron’s speculated autism.
Comedian Rosie O’Donnell instigated the controversy in November 2016 when she shared a viral video suggesting that Barron could be autistic. Her tweet stated, “Barron Trump autistic? If so — what an amazing opportunity to bring attention to the AUTISM epidemic.”
The speculation drew an immediate negative response, as many believed it was inappropriate to discuss a 10-year-old’s health publicly. Accusations were made against O’Donnell for exploiting Barron to indirectly target his father, Donald Trump, with whom she had a public disagreement. O’Donnell later clarified that her intention was to raise awareness about autism, drawing from her personal experience with her daughter’s recent diagnosis, not to harm Barron.
However, Melania Trump interpreted the situation differently. In her memoir, she shares the personal effect of these rumors, categorizing them as pure malice. She felt O’Donnell’s comments were more about attacking her son owing to O’Donnell’s animosity toward Donald Trump than raising awareness. “No apology can undo the harm inflicted upon him,” Melania writes, adding that the online and real-life bullying Barron suffered motivated her to launch the “Be Best” campaign.
The “Be Best” initiative, launched in 2018, aimed to address child welfare, online safety, and anti-bullying, advocating for a positive digital environment for young people. However, the campaign faced numerous obstacles. Critics pointed out the irony of the initiative’s anti-bullying message juxtaposed with President Donald Trump’s frequent use of social media to publicly criticize adversaries, a factor that weakened public support for the initiative.
Strategic hurdles were also encountered, particularly resistance from tech companies to participate in online safety discussions, notably during a 2018 White House meeting.
Reflecting on Barron’s present life, Melania reveals that he is a freshman at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Preferring privacy, he chose to reside at Trump Tower rather than in a dorm. Melania describes him as a “remarkable young man” with a keen intellect and diverse interests, including sports and business.
As Donald Trump campaigns for re-election, the release of Melania’s memoir is well-timed. Even though Melania largely stays out of the limelight, she stresses that safeguarding Barron’s privacy and well-being has always been her primary concern. The memoir also addresses her views on various issues from her tenure as First Lady, including her divergence from the Republican position on reproductive rights.
The memoir, decorated with images featuring the former fashion model, provides a candid chronicle of Melania’s life, starting with her Cold War upbringing in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia), where her father was a prosperous businessman. It traces her relocation to New York at 26 and her life with Donald Trump.
While Melania’s assertions are not as dramatic as those of Donald Trump, she firmly maintains the controversial belief that the 2020 election was manipulated. She writes that leading up to the November 2020 election, she felt the media, Big Tech, and the deep state were all bent on preventing Trump’s re-election through any means possible, raising concerns about the fairness of the election.
She refers to “suspicious voting activity reported nationwide” on Election Day, overlooking the fact that approximately 30 judges—some selected by her own husband—dismissed Trump’s election lawsuits based on their merits.
She also omits mention of the federal and state criminal charges against the former president in Washington, D.C., and Georgia relating to his attempts to reverse his 2020 loss to President Joe Biden.
Melania Trump is not the first First Lady to have differing views from her husband on important issues. Laura Bush also supported abortion rights while her husband, George W. Bush, opposed abortion during his campaign and presidency.
Recent polls indicate that Donald Trump, who has claimed that the constitutional right to abortion was eradicated due to the three Supreme Court justices he appointed, is trailing behind Kamala Harris among female voters.
Positioning the debate within the context of personal freedom, Melania contends, “A woman’s fundamental right to individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy.”
