Melania Trump called out for defending nude photo shoots while Republicans “want to ban books”

An MSNBC news panel called out former First Lady Melania Trump for posting a video defending her nude photoshoot where she kissed another woman while her husband, former President Donald Trump, threatens to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, leading a party that, as one panelist said, “wants to ban books.”

Melania Trump said in a video on X, “Why do I stand proudly behind my nude modeling work? The more pressing question is why has the media chosen to scrutinize my celebration of the human form in a fashion photo shoot?” She then compared her work to “master artists” who “revere the human shape” while displaying famous statutes from across history. She called for art to be a means of self-expression.

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“Everyone was so honored to be with her and in her presence,” said one Palm Beach gay man.

Melania Trump concluded the video by advertising her eponymous new book, Melania.

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https://t.co/ZCTwZSqZND pic.twitter.com/FH9SRFQeUR

— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) September 18, 2024

On MSNBC, a panel – consisting of anchor Nicole Wallace, professor Maya D. Wiley, and journalist Molly Jong-Fast -spoke on this video and how it relates to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, especially with less than 50 days to go until election day. They were confused about how this relates to Donald Trump’s conservative messaging.

“It’s clear Melania is out again. She’s beautiful and celebrating her naked, beautiful body. I applaud her, right? Do it. I find it fascinating with 49 days to go, that was the message that the spouse of the candidate thought was most central,” said Wallace.

In direct response to the video, Wallace continued, “I don’t know that I got all that. Yes, she is beautiful. I guess, in her view, she’s as beautiful as the sculptures? You go, girl. And your husband is on the ballot. In your husband’s view, this election is everything. He says the country ends and this is what I mean — what are they doing?”

Wiley responded, “It is impossible to imagine that happened without [Donald Trump’s] approval, the campaign’s approval… who knows! It’s a highly edited, developed ad. This is not something she whipped together to put up herself. The only reason I’m saying that is that Melania Trump should be able to be who she wants to be, do what she wants to do, and that includes taking her clothes off. No judgment there on her.”

Wallace replied in support of Melania Trump, “I don’t know if I’d ever put clothes on if I looked like that!” She then continued while laughing, saying, “If we’re at the naked part of the show, I mean, I’m so happy to hear that message but, again, you are the spouse of the candidate who is running on the message that the country ends in 49 days and that’s what you did today?”

Wiley then pointed out the hypocrisy of how Republicans have been reacting. She suggests that this is an attempt to put a more “modern” spin on their campaign while still holding socially conservative policies that force people to give birth. Melania Trump has famously been depicted in a set of photos nude while kissing and cuddling model Emma Eriksson. Another photo depicts Eriksson spanking Melania Trump with BDSM gear.

She then asks why Melania Trump has gotten off relatively free of attacks from the conservative media, whereas Vice President Kamala Harris has been subject to numerous attacks by conservatives over her appearance. Former First Lady Michelle Obama was also under constant scrutiny for wearing things like sleeveless dresses.

Jong-Fast added: “This is a party that wants to ban books. So this cannot be taken in a vacuum. To say that the media is somehow the villain? You are the wife of the presidential candidate. They want to ban books, ban certain things you can’t teach – LGBTQ… remember they were at war with Black history. They still are. This is pretty wild stuff and very, very out of the mainstream.”

“To say that it’s the media’s fault that she is getting shamed for her naked body is kind of wild. I would say, it’s not even that it just seems like they’re not working together. It’s like they’re running on two different Earths. Earth One, he’s running on very far-right policies. Earth Two, she asks why people are being mean to me for my naked photos.”

Meanwhile, Donald Trump appears to not pay much mind to his wife’s work, as he indicated he has not read her book. At a rally in Uniondale, New York, this week, he said: “People love our first lady… She just wrote a book called Melania. Go out and buy it. It’s great. And if she says bad things about me, I’ll call you all up and I’ll say, don’t buy it, get rid of it.”

Trump: People love our first lady. She just wrote a book called Melania. Go out and buy it. It's great. And if she says bad things about me, I'll call you all up and I'll say, don't buy it, get rid of it. pic.twitter.com/nkZ4725bE1

— Acyn (@Acyn) September 18, 2024

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