Outgoing First Lady Melania Trump listens as her husband U.S. President Donald Trump addresses guests at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on January 20, 2021.
Alex Edelman | Afp | Getty Images
Melania Trump stood firm on her pro-abortion position on Sunday, despite acknowledging differences in the Republican campaign platform of her husband, former President Donald Trump.
“I want to decide what I want to do with my body,” the first lady said in an interview that aired on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” “I don’t want the government in my business.”
“I let him be his own person,” she added, expressing apparent disagreement with her husband’s views. “He has different beliefs, and he will do what he believes in if elected.”
Melania Trump officially went public with her pro-choice stance Thursday in a promotional video to preview her upcoming book, “Melania.” The book will be released on Tuesday and is expected to detail his views on abortion.
The Republican first lady’s stance on the issue is a marked departure from her party line and the views expressed by her husband.
Donald Trump says he believes abortion access should be decided by the states, not the federal government. He has repeatedly celebrated and taken credit for the Supreme Court’s 2022 repeal decision Roe v. Wade, which established the legal right to abortion.
But pollsters again ranked abortion as one of the former president’s least popular campaign positions in the general election.
Trump has recently been flexible in his ideology, trying to strike a balance between the traditional GOP voter base while also appealing to undecided voters who could decide the November election.
In a statement posted on social media on Tuesday, Trump said for the first time he would veto any ban on abortion if he wins a second term in the White House.
The revelation that Melania Trump, who has been conspicuously absent from the campaign trail this election cycle, appears more aligned with Democrats on abortion comes a month before the November 5 election between her husband and Vice President Kamala Harris.
But he confirmed in a Fox News interview that his beliefs would not surprise Donald Trump: “He knew my situation and my belief from the day we met.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on Melania Trump’s abortion status.