Melania Trump has taken a public stand defending her past nude photo shoots from her modeling career. In a post on X, shared on Wednesday to promote her upcoming memoir, she narrates a video showcasing famous artworks and sculptures of nude figures, including mythological gods, heroes, and iconic characters.
In the video, Trump appears to draw parallels between her nude work and well-known artistic representations, such as John Collier’s “Lady Godiva,” Jean-Alexandre-Joseph Falguière’s statue of Eve, and Paul Cezanne’s painting “Les Grandes Baigneuses.” Accompanied by symphonic music, the video raises two key questions: “Why do I proudly stand behind my nude modeling work?” and “Why has the media chosen to criticize my expression of the human form in a fashion photo shoot?”
Trump argues that bodies should be celebrated, and art has long been a tool for self-expression. The video concludes with a promotion of her memoir, Melania, set to be released in October, where she hopes to clarify the public scrutiny surrounding her career and personal life.
One of Trump’s most recognized nude photoshoots occurred in 2000 for the cover of GQ magazine, in which she posed on a plane owned by Donald Trump. The photos resurfaced in 2016 during her husband’s presidential campaign, along with other nude images from 1997 that were republished by the New York Post.
Donald Trump defended his wife during the 2016 campaign, stating that Melania was a highly successful model and that such photoshoots were common and fashionable in European culture.
The former First Lady further explores this topic in her promotional video for the memoir, questioning why her nude work has been subjected to media scrutiny and asserting the historical significance of celebrating the human body through art. The memoir, Melania, will delve into various aspects of her life and address the controversies she has faced.
Though Melania has generally stayed out of the public eye during her husband’s third presidential campaign, she has occasionally touched on political topics. In another clip promoting her memoir, she hinted at a conspiracy surrounding an assassination attempt on Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, asserting that more needs to be uncovered about the incident.
https://t.co/ZCTwZSqZND pic.twitter.com/FH9SRFQeUR
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) September 18, 2024