Here’s something interesting to chat about. Melania Trump has publicly addressed her past nude modeling work, defending her decision to pose for provocative photoshoots throughout her career. In a post on X promoting her forthcoming memoir, the former first lady narrates a video that features iconic sculptures and paintings of nude figures from art history, drawing a parallel between her modeling work and these celebrated depictions.
The video features artwork such as John Collier’s “Lady Godiva,” Jean-Alexandre-Joseph Falguière’s statue of Eve, and Paul Cézanne’s “Les Grandes Baigneuses,” as well as dramatic background music, asking viewers to consider two questions. First, “Why do I proudly stand by my nude modeling work?” And second, “Why has the media chosen to scrutinize my celebration of the human form in fashion photo shoots?”
Melania asserts that nudity has long been celebrated in art and that her modeling career is an extension of this tradition of honoring the human body through artistic expression. She argues that the media’s criticism of her past work unfairly distorts her accomplishments and focuses on superficial judgments. The video concludes with a plug for her upcoming memoir, Melania, which she hopes will clear up misconceptions about her life and provide insight into the challenges she has faced.
One of the most notable instances of Melania’s nude photoshoots occurred in 2000 when she posed aboard Donald Trump’s private jet for GQ magazine. The images resurfaced during Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, along with other nude photos from a 1997 shoot for a French men’s magazine that were re-published by the New York Post. At the time, Donald Trump defended his wife, calling her one of the most successful models of her era and emphasizing that such photoshoots were commonplace in European fashion culture.
In her memoir promotion, Melania challenges why the media has fixated on her modeling past rather than recognizing it as a form of self-expression rooted in the artistic tradition. She reiterates the value of celebrating the human form and the role art plays in evoking deep emotions and admiration.
https://t.co/ZCTwZSqZND pic.twitter.com/FH9SRFQeUR
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) September 18, 2024
Though she has kept a low profile during Donald Trump’s current bid for the presidency, Melania has occasionally touched on political topics. Recently, she implied that a conspiracy was behind an attempted assassination on her husband during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a topic she suggests could be further explored in her memoir.