Former first lady Melania Trump on Sunday spoke for the first time about the assassination attempt on her husband, former President Donald Trump, urging Americans to set aside political differences and recognize their leaders as people with families.
“When I watched that vicious bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life – and Barron’s – was on the brink of devastating change,” the former first lady said. statement “Thank you to the brave Secret Service and law enforcement officers who risked their lives to protect my husband,” she wrote on social media.
“The monster that viewed my husband as an inhuman political machine tried to drown out Donald’s passions – his laughter, his ingenuity, his love of music and his inspiration,” she continued. “The core human side of my husband’s life was buried beneath a political machine. Donald is a generous, compassionate man who has been with me through the best and the worst of times.”
The former first lady, who has made few public appearances since leaving the White House at the start of 2021, called on Americans to “rise above the hatred, malice and simplistic ideas that incite violence.”
“We all want a world where respect is above all else, where family comes first, and where love transcends all. We can make this a reality again,” she said. “Each of us demands it back. We must once again insist that respect be the cornerstone of our relationships.”
Melania Trump thanked those who reached out to her for “remembering that politicians are also men and women with loving families.”
The former president said he was shot in the ear while speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Another rally-goer and the suspected gunman were killed.
The FBI identified the suspect as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Late Saturday, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee confirmed that the former president plans to attend the Republican National Convention, which begins Monday in Milwaukee.
Melania Trump is expected to attend the convention in a rare public appearance but is not scheduled to speak.
