5 Instances of Melania Trump Following Her Heart and Diverging from Donald Trump's Policies

Here are 5 times Melania Trump followed her heart and disagreed with Donald Trump in the past

Former First Lady Melania Trump often walked her own path, standing apart from her husband on several key issues during his presidency. From speaking out on immigration policies to questioning LGBTQ+ rights reversals, Melania showed she wasn't afraid to follow her heart and personal convictions, even if it meant diverging from Donald Trump's policies, rhetoric, and decisions. While supporting her husband publicly, behind the scenes Melania made her disagreements known on many occasions. Here are 5 notable times the former First Lady charted her own course, proving she was truly an independent thinker.

1. When Melania Praised LeBron James Amidst Husband's Criticism

Melania stepped aside from her husband's criticism of NBA player LeBron James, praising him for his charitable endeavors and even extending an invitation to visit his school for underprivileged kids. "It looks like LeBron James is working to do good things on behalf of our next generation and just as she always has, the First Lady encourages everyone to have an open dialogue about issues facing children today," said the spokesperson for Melania, Stephanie Grisham. Donald mockingly wrote on X, "Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon," aiming for the news network he often criticizes. "He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do," as per AP News.

2. When Melania Expressed Concern Over Family Separation at Border

Melania's communications director, Stephanie Grisham, told CNN after Donald came under fire for how he treated immigrants at the US-Mexico border: "Mrs. Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform. She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with heart." Almost 2,000 children were separated from their parents and guardians and put in holding centers.

3. When Melania  Addressed Controversy Surrounding Jacket Slogan

Donald said Melania was sending a message to the "fake news media" when she wore a jacket with the slogan "I really do not care, do you?" across the back while visiting children being held at the US border. But Melania swiftly dispelled any rumors with a statement from her spokesperson, "It's a jacket. There was no hidden message."  However, in an interview later, she seemed to reverse her position on the matter, acknowledging that "it was kind of a message, yes." "I would prefer that they focus on what I do and my initiatives than what I wear," as per The Guardian.

4. When Melania Successfully Lobbied to Delay Lifting Hunting Prohibition

Melania lobbied the former president to postpone lifting the hunting prohibition that was in place under the Barack Obama administration, according to a book written by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Melania's former assistant. Donald—whose sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are well-known for their passion for large game hunting—reversed the ban, however, Melania “did some lobbying of her own, and her plea to Donald actually worked,” according to Wolkoff. Wolkoff continued, "Melania was not sympathetic to the boys’ lobbying efforts for guns and hunting or the bizarre need to hang a dead animal head on the wall."

5. When Melania Questioned Donald's Repeal of Obama's Transgender Bathroom Policy

The justice and education departments of former President Obama directed public schools to permit transgender children to use the restroom that best suited their gender identity. While not legally obligatory, Obama's directive cautioned institutions that failure to keep up with the new guidelines could result in monetary losses. Melania took issue with Donald's rollback of an Obama-era bill, which infuriated a lot of people, and she questioned him about why he had even brought up the topic in the first place. He said, "could have let the Supreme Court deal with it, but it was very important to Mike [Pence]," as per Style.