Former President Donald Trump opened up somewhat about Melania Trump as he entered a courtroom in Manhattan for a civil fraud trial brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
A reporter asked Trump what Melania thought about the $250 million civil case against him, his two eldest sons, and the Trump Organization.
“She thinks it’s a total disgrace; she thinks it’s very, very unfair, and all that it is is election interference,” Trump said, according to Newsweek. “It’s all election interference, and it all starts with the DOJ. It starts with [President Joe] Biden.”
James has accused the former president and his companies of substantially inflating his company’s net worth in order to get favorable loans and deceive banks and insurance companies, among other entities. Trump has countered that his assets were not inflated and that no banks or other companies were ever harmed by deals with him.
Newsweek added:
Melania has remained largely out of the public spotlight since leaving the White House in 2021, even as her husband has mounted his third presidential bid and as he faces an onslaught of legal challenges, including four indictments that required him to appear in court himself. The former first lady often appeared beside her husband throughout his 2016 campaign and his presidency but has not been seen on the 2024 campaign trail or at any of her husband’s various arraignments.
Last month, Trump was asked if Melania would be joining him on the campaign anytime soon. “Yeah. Pretty soon. When it’s appropriate, but pretty soon,” he told NBC News, adding that she had been busy taking care of their 17-year-old son, Barron.
“She’s a private person, a great person, and a very confident person. And she loves our country very much,” he added.
Melania has publicly come out in support of her husband’s third White House bid in what would be his second term should he win next year, but “quietly” took measures behind the scenes to protect herself and their son, Barron, a report noted late last month.
According to sources who spoke to Page Six, she “renegotiated her prenuptial agreement with Donald Trump in advance of his potentially serving a second term in the White House.”
“Over the last year, Melania and her team have been quietly negotiating a new ‘postnup’ agreement between herself and Donald Trump,” an insider told the outlet. The couple married in 2005; Melania is Donald’s third wife.
“This is at least the third time Melania has renegotiated the terms of her marital agreement,” the source said, adding that it is not because she plans on leaving him.
“Melania is most concerned about maintaining and increasing a substantial trust for their son, Barron,” the same source told the outlet.
The source said that the renegotiated prenup also provides for her and involves money and property.
A different source told Page Six: “I know that she wanted it to provide her with more money, and also—from what I understand—there’s a specific amount at minimum that Barron is supposed to obtain.”
The first source noted that the renegotiated agreement comes ahead of Trump potentially serving another presidential term, but also because of his mounting legal battles.
“This agreement was necessary because of the current legal battles… [Donald] has suffered,” the first source said, which includes a potential payout in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ $250 million civil case against the former president and his Trump Organization, as well as a court order that requires him to pay $5 million to author E. Jean Carroll for defamation.
Trump has pleaded not guilty in the latter case and is appealing the verdict.
“Trump remains very rich, but with mounting legal bills and judgments,” and the renegotiated prenup would “provide a more solid future” for Melania and their son should the couple split, one of the sources said.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
