Melania Trump.Photo: ANDRZEJ HULIMKA/AFP via Getty
The authors write that, in a phone call with former New Jersey Gov.Chris Christie, Melania outlined her worries, allegedly explaining that she had told her husband: “You’re blowing this. This is serious. It’s going to be really bad, and you need to take it more seriously than you’re taking it.”
The authors write that Trump, now 76, dismissed his wife’s concerns, saying, “You worry too much. Forget it.”
In the early days of the pandemic, Trump was steadfast in his claim that the virus would disappear, openly waffling on the importance of wearing a mask and continuing to host large-scale (sometimesindoor) campaign events despite public health guidelines advising against it.
In April 2020, Trump said hewouldn’tbe wearing a mask even as he announced new federal guidelines recommending them.
By July, he hadchanged his stance, saying, “I’m all for masks … If I were in a tight situation with people, I would absolutely [wear one].”
In August, he waffled yet again, calling masks “patriotic” but hedging thestatementwith: “Maybe they’re great, and maybe they’re just good. Maybe they’re not so good.”
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Then, in September, during his first presidential debate withJoe Biden, Trump said that he approves of wearing masks, but also made fun of the Democrat for wearing one.
“Every time you see him, he’s got a mask,” Trump said mockingly. “He could be speaking 200 feet away from it, he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
Just two days later, Trump and Melania themselvestested positive for the virus.
“As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19,” Melania wrote on Twitter at the time. “We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together.”
Donald was eventually hospitalized with the virus, but later recovered, while Melania suffered from “a lingering cough” that led her to sit out some of herhusband’s campaign events.
Melania faced both significant scrutiny and curiosity as first lady, such as when she wore an"I Really Don’t Care" jacketwhile visiting migrant children (which she later claimed was actually a message for the press). Privately, sources have said she is not interested in her husband launching another campaign for president.
“Melania does not like being in the public eye and has made it clear that she isn’t interested in doing it again,” one political source told PEOPLE last September.
“She likes family and her private life,” the source added. “The media glare is not for her.”
source: people.com
