NEW YORK (AP) — Former first lady Melania Trump will release a memoir this fall, titled “Melania,” which her office calls a “powerful and inspirational story of a woman who forged her own path, overcame adversity and defined personal excellence.” It is Trump’s first memoir, which has been largely absent as her husband, former President Donald Trump, tries to return to the White House.
“Melania” is published by Skyhorse Publishing, which has published books by Donald Trump supporters such as former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and lawyer 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.
Melania Trump’s memoir was announced Thursday by her office, which did not give a specific release date or mention whether it would come out before Election Day in November. Trump is the subject of other books, including one by former adviser Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, but she has never told her own story in detail.
The former First Lady “invites readers into her world and offers an intimate portrait of a woman who has lived an extraordinary life,” the announcement said. “‘Melania’ includes personal stories and family photos that she has never shared with the public before.”
A spokesman said no further information was available beyond what was included in the press release, which would not include any references to financial terms, promotional plans or a possible collaboration with a co-author.
Melania Trump, Donald Trump’s third wife, has been an enigmatic figure since her husband announced his candidacy in the 2016 election. She has tried to maintain her privacy, even as first lady, and has focused on raising her son, Barron, and promoting her “Be Best” initiative to support the “social, emotional and physical health of children.” Although she appeared at her husband’s 2024 campaign kickoff event and attended the closing night of the Republican National Convention last week, she has otherwise stayed away from the campaign trail. Her decision not to speak at the convention this year marked a departure from tradition for female candidates and from the 2016 and 2020 Republican conventions.
According to her office, the memoir will be released in two versions: a $150 “Collector’s Edition” with 256 pages, “in color throughout, each copy signed by the author,” and a 304-page “Memoir Edition,” including 48 pages of previously unpublished photographs. The book is listed for $40, with signed copies costing $75.
Both editions can be preordered exclusively through the First Lady’s website, MelaniaTrump.com. A spokesperson had no immediate comment on when or if the books will be available to order elsewhere.
Unlike other former presidents and first ladies, Donald and Melania Trump have not published any books with major New York publishers after their time in the White House. Donald Trump published numerous books before his presidency, including with Random House and Simon & Schuster, but after the siege of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, he was shunned by many.
Since leaving Washington, he has published two books, a picture book commemorating his time in the White House and a compilation of letters from world leaders and celebrities, both published by Winning Team Publishing, which was co-founded in 2021 by Donald Trump Jr. and former Trump campaign staffer Sergio Gor.
