Though she has largely remained out of the political limelight in recent years, former first lady Melania Trump is making her voice heard in recent weeks, stepping forward to share her thoughts on an infamous event that took place over two years ago.
Amid Mrs. Trump's promotional activities for her upcoming memoir Melania, she has opened up about the 2022 raid on her Mar-a-Lago home and blasted the FBI for what she says was an unwarranted attack on her rights that ought to serve as a “warning to all Americans,” as Fox News reports.
The search at issue was performed as part of the government's probe of former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents after departing the White House, and at the time it was conducted, it made headlines for the unusual intensity and broad scope of agents' actions.
As the New York Post reported at the time, agents involved in the raid delved deeply into all areas of the property, including Mrs. Trump's wardrobe.
Though the search warrant used by the FBI to conduct the search was focused on presidential records and classified information suspected to be on site, the investigative activities there were expansive, spanning more than nine hours.
Trump attorneys were not permitted inside the structures searched during the operation, leading some to worry that materials may have been planted by authorities while they ventured into what seemed to be every nook and cranny of even the family's private quarters.
Now that she is providing unprecedented insights into her life and experiences before, during and after her time as first lady, Melania Trump is making no secret about her disdain for what occurred at her Florida estate.
“I never imagined my privacy would be invaded by the government here in America,” she began.
Mrs. Trump continued, “The FBI raided my home in Florida and searched through my personal belongings.”
Extrapolating her experience to the wider citizenry, she added, “This is not just my story, it serves as a warning to all Americans, a reminder that our freedom and rights must be respected.”
Notably, Donald Trump is reportedly poised to sue the Department of Justice, hoping to recover upwards of $100 million in damages over the raid, with the former president's attorneys claiming that the search was approved with the “clear intent to engage in political persecution.”
Perhaps due to her intensely private persona, Mrs. Trump's memoir is among the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year.
Reflecting on the creative process she has undertaken, Melania Trump explained, “Writing my memoir has been an amazing journey filled with emotional highs and lows. Each story shaped me into who I am today.”
Adding that the experience has been “incredibly rewarding,” the former -- and potential future -- first lady expressed gratitude for the voluminous reminders of not just her strength, but also the “beauty of sharing [her] truth,” and hers is a life story that millions will surely be eager to read.
