Former First Lady Melania Trump apparently rejected her then chief of staff’s suggestion that she send a tweet condemning lawlessness and violence in the January 6 Capitol riot.
On Tuesday, shortly after the sixth public hearing by the House Select Committee investigating the uprising, Trump’s former assistant Stephanie Grisham allegedly shared a screenshot of a text exchange with her.
Grisham’s screenshot shows that she sent Trump an SMS: “Do you want to tweet that peaceful protests are the right of every American, but there is no room for lawlessness and violence?”
Trump, nicknamed “MT” in the screenshot, responded with one word: “No.”
In response to a Twitter user who said it was ‘outrageous’ that Grisham “just shared things” and could have done so during Donald Trump’s prosecution hearings, Grisham wrote that the texts were on January 6, 2021, and that ‘I resigned immediately thereafter’.
She added that she had spoken ‘many times before’ about the case, testified twice before the committee and co-operated with some legal cases.
Grisham recounted the alleged text with the former first lady in her tell-all story published last year, I’ll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw in the Trump White House.
A spokeswoman for Melania Trump at the time denied that the exchange took place.
“The intent behind this book is clear. “This is an attempt to save herself after a poor performance as press secretary, failed personal relationships and unprofessional behavior in the White House,” the spokesman said.
‘Through mistrust and betrayal, she tries to gain relevance and money at the expense of Mrs. Trump. ‘
Grisham shared the screenshot after Trump administration officials, including Cassidy Hutchinson, a former assistant to then-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, dismissed ex-President Trump’s unwillingness to condemn the violent uprising.
White House staffers urged the 45th president to ask in a speech that rioters be prosecuted, but he refused and even considered saying he would forgive them, Hutchinson testified. Former President Trump showed reluctance to deliver the prepared speech completely, but eventually used it, minus the prosecution.
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