A $250,000 interview with Melania Trump

Melania Trump adopts a surprising position in her memoirs, which contrasts with Republican doctrine

Later, another CNN journalist questioned the publishing house about these interview fees which pleaded error: “Neither Melania nor any member of her team knew anything about the confidentiality agreement and the document which was sent reflected poor internal communication,” writes Tony Lyons, president and publisher at Skyhorse Publishing, in a statement to CNN.

This financial claim, although finally recalibrated, echoes revelations from the American media last month regarding payments for Melania Trump’s speaking engagements. CNN notably showed that the former First Lady had received $237,500 during a Republican event last April. A payment justified as a “speech” in Donald Trump’s financial disclosure form. She also received $250,000 in December 2022 for a Republican meeting of the political organization Log Cabin.

Author and former White House special envoy Kate Andersen Brower commented on the financial request as “totally unprecedented.” She told CNN that “no first lady has ever done this.”