Upcoming Melania Trump memoir promises ‘intimate portrait’ of former first lady’s life

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Melania Trump has a memoir coming out this fall, which her office has described as “a powerful and inspiring story of a woman who has carved her own path, overcome adversity and defined personal excellence.”

The memoir, entitled Melania, is the first book by the former first lady and will be released by Skyhorse Publishing, a company that has published works from allies of former President Donald Trump such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and lawyer Alan Dershowitz.

The firm has also worked with independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr. and ex-Trump fixer-turned-critic Michael Cohen. A number of books published by the company have forewords by former Trump White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, who surrendered at a federal prison in Connecticut earlier this month to start a four-month sentence on contempt charges after he defied a subpoena from the congressional investigators who were probing the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

Melania Trump’s office announced her forthcoming book on Thursday — without sharing a release date or stating if it’s set to come out before the election in November. While Melania hasn’t written a memoir before, she has been the subject of other books, such as one written by former adviser Stephanie Winston Wolkoff.

The announcement states that Melania Trump “invites readers into her world, offering an intimate portrait of a woman who has lived an extraordinary life.”

The book will include “personal stories and family photos she has never before shared with the public,” the announcement states. The release didn’t share any information regarding financial terms, how she may be planning on promoting the book, or whether she worked with a co-author.

The third wife of the former president has worked hard to maintain her privacy even while serving as first lady, when she often put the emphasis on raising their son Barron as well as her “Be Best” effort which focused on supporting the “social, emotional, and physical” well-being of children.

Melania did appear alongside her husband at the launch of his 2024 campaign and at the recent Republican National Convention, but unlike in 2016 and 2020, she chose not to deliver a speech.

Her office has said that the book will come in two versions — the so-called Collector’s Edition, costing $150, will feature 256 pages “in full color” and will be signed by the former first lady. A Memoir Edition, at 304 pages, will feature 48 pages of previously unseen photos. The book is set to sell for $40 while signed copies will cost $75. It can be pre-ordered on the former first lady’s personal website.

Former first couples have traditionally released books via more mainstream New York publishers, but not the Trumps. While the former president published a number of books before entering the Oval Office via Simon & Schuster and Random House, many publishers have declined to work with him after the Capitol riot.

Donald Trump has released two books after his presidency — a book of images from his time in office and a tome compiling letters from celebrities and world leaders — both published by Winning Team Publishing. The firm was founded in 2021 by Donald Trump Jr. and ex-Trump campaign staff member Sergio Gor.