Did Melania Trump plagiarize herself? FLOTUS's statement condemning Capitol riots copies lines from RNC speech
It seems that after Stephanie Grisham, First lady Melania Trump's chief of staff, resigned and White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews put in her papers, the press statements from the White House are not really getting the attention they deserve.
After days of silence, Melania Trump has finally released a statement about the Capitol riots, condemning the violence, on January 11, 2021. In it, she prayed for the families of both the rioters and police officers. However, she took the name of the rioters like Ashli Babbit and Kevin Greeson before naming Capitol Police Officers like Brian Sicknick.
She then complained about "salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations" against her. But portions of today's statement that focussed on her countrymen are copied from her earlier RNC speech. Here are the portions that seem to have been copied exactly or copied and edited slightly for today's FLOTUS statement.
"The invisible enemy, Covid-19, swept across our beautiful country and impacted all of us." -- August 25, 2020, RNC Speech.
"I have reflected on the past year and how the invisible enemy, Covid-19, swept across our beautiful country." -- January 11, 2021.
"It has been inspiring to see what the people of our great nation will do for one another, especially when we are at our most fragile." -- RNC Speech.
"It has been inspiring to witness firsthand what the people of our great Nation will do for one another, especially when we are at our most vulnerable" -- January 11, 2021.
"You must remember that today we are all one community, comprised of many races, religions, and ethnicities... we still have so much to learn from one another. With that in mind, I would like to call on the citizens of this country to take a moment, pause, and look at things from all perspectives." -- RNC speech.
"As an American, I am proud of our freedom to express our viewpoints without persecution... Many have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect that right. With that in mind, I would like to call on the citizens of this country to take a moment, pause, and look at things from all perspectives." -- January 11, 2021.
"We will look back and tell our grandchildren that your kindness and compassion, strength and determination, we were able to store the promise of our future... You are the backbone of this country. You’re the people who continue to make the United States of America what it is. And who have the incredible responsibility of preparing future generations to make everything better than when they found it." -- RNC speech.
"We will look back and tell our grandchildren that through empathy, strength, and determination, we were able to restore the promise of our future. Each of you are the backbone of this country. You are the people who continue to make the United States of America what it is, and who have the incredible responsibility of preparing our future generations to leave everything better than they found it." -- January 11, 2021.
"More profound and sadly unavoidable examples of our country’s strength and character have appeared in the communities that have been impacted by natural disasters... The common thread in all of these challenging situations is the resolve to help one another." -- RNC speech.
"Our country’s strength and character have revealed themselves in the communities that have been impacted by natural disasters and throughout this terrible pandemic that has affected all of us. The common thread in all of these challenging situations is American’s unwavering resolve to help one another. Your compassion has shown the true spirit of our country." -- January 11, 2021.
Melania's statement seems to be a response to the scathing Daily Beast op-ed penned by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, her former friend and aide who said: “Melania knows how to ‘Be Best’ at standing up and reading from a teleprompter and not from the heart.” Melania was reportedly busy on January 6, doing a photoshoot, as rioters stormed the Capitol building.
Wolkoff had written about FLOTUS' silence immediately after the riots in her op-ed. She said, "I wish I could say I was shocked by President Trump's actions, but sadly I can not, or say I don't comprehend Melania's silence and inactions, but pathetically, they are both expected."
She also added that "In her free time she took up ‘albuming’ and made scrapbooks filled with photographs of herself. Melania is simply an extension of her husband, just as hypocritical, speaking out of both sides of her mouth, when it suits her best.” She also disabused the notion that Melania has no option but to stay silent. "Many still believe that Melania is powerless, but don’t be fooled; she is an abuser too, of the worst kind. The kind that speaks kindly to children. The sickness is under the skin. Melania knows and supports Donald and his viewpoints. If you hit him, he’ll hit you back harder. He’s the brass knuckles, aggressive guy, and she elects to grin and bear it. She turns a blind eye. The truth is she’s actually encouraging him to go for it. Be aggressive. She’s his biggest cheerleader.”