Melania Trump to tell her story in ‘powerful and inspiring’ memoir

Former first lady Melania Trump has a memoir coming out this autumn billed by her office as “a powerful and inspiring story of a woman who has carved her own path, overcome adversity and defined personal excellence”.

It is the first memoir by Ms Trump, who has been mostly absent as her husband, former president Donald Trump, seeks a return to the White House.

Melania will be released by Skyhorse Publishing, which has released books by Donald Trump supporters such as former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani and attorney Alan Dershowitz.

Skyhorse has also worked with third-party candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr and former Trump insider Michael Cohen, who later became one of his harshest critics. Some Skyhorse books include forewords by Trump ally Steve Bannon.

Ms Trump’s memoir was announced on Thursday by her office, which gave no specific release date or mentioned whether it would come out before Election Day in November.

She has been the subject of other books, including one by former adviser Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, but has never told her own story at length before.

The former first lady “invites readers into her world, offering an intimate portrait of a woman who has lived an extraordinary life”, the announcement said.

“Melania includes personal stories and family photos she has never before shared with the public.”

A spokesperson said no information was available beyond what was included in the release, which made no reference to financial terms, promotional plans or if she worked with a co-author.

Mr Trump’s third wife has been an enigmatic figure since her husband announced he was running in the 2016 election. She has sought to maintain her privacy even as she served as first lady, focusing on raising their son Barron and promoting her Be Best initiative to support the “social, emotional, and physical health of children”.

While she appeared at her husband’s campaign launch event for 2024 and attended the closing night of last week’s Republican National Convention, she has otherwise stayed off the campaign trail.

Her decision not to deliver a speech at this year’s convention marked a departure from tradition for candidates’ wives, and from the 2016 and 2020 Republican gatherings.

According to her office, the memoir will come in two versions: a 150-dollar (£116) Collector’s Edition, with 256 pages, “in full colour throughout, with each copy signed by the author”; and a Memoir Edition of 304 pages, including 48 pages of unseen photographs. The book is listed at 40 dollars (£31) with signed editions for 75 dollars (£58).

Both editions are available for pre-order through her website, MelaniaTrump.com.

Unlike other former presidents and first ladies, Donald and Melania Trump have not released any post-White House books through mainstream New York publishers.

He published numerous books before his presidency, working with Random House and Simon & Schuster among others, but many distanced themselves from him after the siege of the US Capitol on January 6 2021.

He has released two books since leaving Washington: a picture book commemorating his time at the White House and a compilation of letters from world leaders and celebrities. Both came out through Winning Team Publishing, co-founded in 2021 by Donald Trump Jr and former Trump campaign staff member Sergio Gor.