Melania's Ex-Aide Doesn't Hold Back Claims Her Trump Marriage Was All For The Cameras
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Amidst possible signs that Donald and Melania Trump may be headed for divorce, someone close to the couple has suggested that their relationship was never quite what it seemed. Melania's former advisor and author of "Melania and Me: The Rise & Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady," Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, has claimed that Donald and Melania's marriage is all for show. In a tweet from June 16, she shared a clip from Donald's former reality series, "The Apprentice," which he hosted from 2004 through 2015. Wolkoff believes that this clip is evidence that he married Melania to boost his public image.
Many may think "DADDY'S HOME" is a Father's Day video. Nope!
Millions of Americans watched the Apprentice. Donald was a household name. He needed a woman who looked & played the part & let him be the star. Marrying Melania & making her a Vogue Cover model —legitimized them both. pic.twitter.com/8TjZLR4K5G— Stephanie Winston Wolkoff (@SWinstonWolkoff) June 16, 2024
The clip Wolkoff shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows Donald emerging from a convertible in a suit and sunglasses and greeting Melania, who is holding a baby — presumably a young Barron Trump. Donald kisses his wife and baby before loudly introducing "The Apprentice." According to Wolkoff, the clip was all a ploy to convince those watching "The Apprentice" that Donald was a family man. "Millions of Americans watched the Apprentice. Donald was a household name," Wolkoff captioned the video. "He needed a woman who looked & played the part & let him be the star. Marrying Melania & making her a Vogue Cover model —legitimized them both."
Donald's marriage to Melania likely helped his political career
As if the clip and its possible implications aren't strange enough, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff made another noteworthy assertion in the tweet's comment section. She referenced Ramin Setoodeh's book, "Apprentice in Wonderland," which discusses Donald Trump's time as host of "The Apprentice." She notes that "Trump himself admits he might not have been president without 'The Apprentice.'" She adds that Donald's family-oriented image was, as she puts it, a "mirage" that was entirely contrived — created by the folks at NBC to sell his series. There is a big difference between ideal PR for a TV show host and a politician. Yet, a picture-perfect, loving family is surely a benefit, either way. So, this may have helped him to later secure his role as President of the United States.
When it comes to how American politicians are viewed, family is important. James Buchanan and Grover Cleveland were the only presidents in U.S. history who were unmarried when they took office — excluding those who were widowers. And, the role of first lady is one that is taken seriously. We can't determine if the results of the 2016 election would have been different if Donald wasn't married, but it certainly isn't an impossibility. Consequently, if Wolkoff's claims are true, then the Trump marriage was more than just a sneaky PR strategy; it was a sneaky PR strategy that forever changed the course of American history.