Robert D Eldridge, PhD 
Melania Trump's memoir, Melania, (Skyhorse, in English) released in October 2024, offers a curated, yet insightful, glimpse into her life. It begins from her upbringing in Slovenia under a Communist regime, and as a successful model in European capitals and New York. Then it culminates with her tenure as First Lady of the United States and life (until then) after the White House.
Although the book has been criticized for lacking depth and introspection, I disagree. I found it very helpful to better understand both Melania herself and her side of the story. And I'm glad she wrote this, as I am for all first ladies who share their lives through autobiographies.
As the expression goes, "Behind every great man is a great woman." This is nowhere more true than with Melania. Donald Trump has been successful throughout most of his professional life. However, during the past 20 years of his marriage to Melania (preceded by their long-term relationship beginning in 1998), it is undeniable that his career and trajectory have reached their highest levels. As comes through in her memoir, she influences and helps him make better decisions.
Promoting Family
One example of this was the Trump administration's policy of separating families who entered the United States illegally and detaining children at the border. Melania, herself an immigrant (who entered legally) and a mother, was distressed by the situation. (Their son, Barron, was born in 2006 and is discussed in Chapter 5.) Before challenging her husband, she studied up on the issue. "It was critical to address this situation with speed, transparency, and compassion, ensuring that the policies reflected our values as a nation," she wrote. (P 172, large print edition.)
"Occasional political disagreements between me and my husband," she writes in the same section, "were a part of our relationship, but I believed in addressing them privately rather than publicly challenging him. I found our discussions more productive when we could have a quiet dialogue at home, out of the public eye" (ibid).
When she was confident she understood the issue, she took her "deep concerns…regarding the family separations, emphasizing the trauma it was causing these families" (p 173). "As a mother," she stressed, "The government should not be taking children away from their parents." "[W]ith great clarity," she stated, "this has to stop" (ibid).
Her husband promised to investigate, and he announced the end of the family separation policy on June 20, 2017. The next day, Melania flew unannounced to McAllen, Texas, one of the "epicenters of the border crisis," to see the situation herself and make sure the new policy was being adopted (p 174).
Enduring Disrespect
Melania's relationship with her husband, both as president and as the businessman most of America knew before he ran, is a central part of her book. But so is her relationship with the media. She expresses her disgust with its double standards and "relentless spread of falsehoods and negativity" (p 175). Only a few episodes are touched on in the book. However, I imagine she could fill an entire volume (longer than her memoirs) on what she has witnessed.
I, for one, hope she writes such a book. As a mother, she was protective of her son. He was the subject of both old media and new media attacks, as well as social media bullying by well-known personalities and others. After the Trumps left the White House, she documents how she and her family experienced "cancel culture." She also related sabotage efforts that even affected her business endeavors (Chapter 17).
Such disrespect continued even this May. Former President George W Bush and his wife, Laura, skipped Melania's unveiling of a postage stamp in honor of former first lady Barbara Bush, George's mother.
Growing Up in Communist Yugoslavia
Another major part of the book is about her family life growing up in Slovenia, in the former Yugoslavia. She came from a strong, supportive, and creative family. They seemed to be most happy when they were together.
With such a close family, she did not need to be an extrovert. Melania, in other words, grew up confident. Perhaps because of the influence of a Communist government and its secret police and informants, she also learned at an early age to protect her privacy.
A Foreign Friend and Confidant
Yet another part of her book concerns her foreign travels. She includes trips when she was younger with her family and as a model. And later, her travels as First Lady.
Akie Abe was one of her counterparts as First Lady with whom she bonded most closely. Melania discusses her trip to Japan in detail in her book and the friendship she developed with the wife of the slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Prime Minister Abe experienced much of the same political, legal, and media persecution and academic disdain that Trump did. Even though it wasn't spoken between the two, that struggle likely contributed to the close relationship Melania and Akie developed.
Melania talks about their official visit to Japan in May 2019, shortly after the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito. Trump, on his second visit to Japan after becoming president, was the Emperor's first state guest. Melania was there by his side and met Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. They were joined by Prime Minister Abe and Akie.
So much was accomplished on that trip for the alliance between the two countries. It also helped deepen the relationship between the Trumps and Abes. "I formed a genuine connection with her," Melania writes, "and this trip reaffirmed this link" (p 164).
Sharing the Victories and Low Points
Melania's remark was not simply being polite or diplomatic, but was no doubt truly felt. Readers will recall how the Trumps invited Akie to Mar-a-Lago, their home in Florida, in December 2024. That trip followed Trump's reelection and preceded his second inauguration. Sadly, they could not be joined by Shinzo, who had been cruelly assassinated in July 2022 while campaigning for a candidate in the Upper House elections.
She had also experienced two assassination attempts against her own husband, one of which came within millimeters of succeeding. Melania writes: "I was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of Mr Abe's assassination in 2022. He was a remarkable leader, and the connection between him and Donald was genuine. The world would undoubtedly be a better place if more countries could foster such relationships" (p 165).
Knowing her better through this memoir, it would be no surprise to find that Melania recommended to Donald that they invite Akie to Florida, to the place the four of them had previously dined. That is what true friendships are all about — celebrating victories together and sharing in the low points.
More Confidence in Her Second Term
I am sure Melania continues to advise her husband today, too. She is certainly more confident in her role and has learned from staffing and other mistakes she may have made in the past. This is something she alludes to in Chapter 16. Like her husband, she values trust and loyalty. Hopefully, she finds it this time around.
Now that her son is an adult and off to college, she is also able to be more engaged. During the first term, she was actively involved in raising him while serving as First Lady. This time, she can focus more attention on her duties. I can't wait to watch her successes and look forward to seeing her in Japan again.
Having read her excellent memoir, I am better able to understand her now, despite the efforts of the media to misportray and misrepresent her. Indeed, she wrote the book to "set the record straight and to provide the actual account of my experiences" (p vii). I am sure she will have more to share in the future, but this was a great start.
About the Book
Title: Melania
Author: Melania Trump
Publisher: Skyhorse
Language: English
ISBN: ISBN-10 : 1510782699 and ISBN-13 : 978-1510782693
More Information: To purchase the book or learn more, visit any online English language bookseller or the publisher's website.
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Reviewed by: Robert D Eldridge, PhD
Dr Eldridge is a former political advisor to the US Marine Corps in Japan and author of numerous books on Japanese political and diplomatic history. He was a 2024 Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Fellow at Tamkang University and is a consultant on a broad spectrum of Japan-related matters.
