Melania Trump said she was unaware of the violence taking place at the Capitol on January 6 because she was too busy fulfilling her duties as First Lady.
“On January 6, 2021, I was fulfilling one of my duties as First Lady of the United States of America, and accordingly, I was unaware of what was simultaneously transpiring at the US Capitol Building,” Trump told Fox News in an interview.
“As with all first ladies who preceded me, it was my obligation to record the contents of the White House’s historic rooms, including taking archival photographs of all the renovations. Several months in advance, I organized a qualified team of photographers, archivists, and designers to work with me in the White House to ensure perfect execution,” she continued. “As required, we scheduled January 6, 2021, to complete the work on behalf of our Nation.”
However, CNN noted that Trump’s claim about it being her “duty” to record contents at the White House is false. The White House curator and the White House Historical Association are predominantly responsible for keeping a record of the contents of the official White House collection.
Trump’s assertion that she was too busy to know what was going on at the Capitol on Jan. 6, comes after her former chief of staff Stephanie Grisham posted a screenshot of a conversation she had with Trump while the pro-Trump mob was storming the Capitol building.
In the message Grisham asked Trump if she wanted to tweet that “peaceful protests are the right of every American, but there is no place for lawlessness & violence.” The former first lady’s response was “no”.
In the interview, Trump blamed Grisham for failing “to provide insight and information into the events surrounding January 6 as she had abandoned her post in Washington, D.C.” She said Grisham’s behavior “amounts to a dereliction of duty” because a first lady’s chief of staff is suppose to provide “detailed briefings” on the country’s most important issues.
“Had I been fully informed of all the details, naturally, I would have immediately denounced the violence that occurred at the Capitol Building,” Trump said. “And while Ms. Grisham’s behavior is disappointing, it is not surprising or an isolated incident.”
Trump never condemned the violence until five days after the attack and even then she somehow managed to make it about herself by slamming “salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me – from people who are looking to be relevant and have an agenda.”
In response to Trump’s interview with Fox News, Grisham told CNN: “Everything she said is bullshit and she knows it.”
