Like a true maverick, Melania Trump is bucking the traditional book-promotion cycle in favor of something weirder, spookier, and more confusing. The former First Lady’s memoir, Melania, is set to come out next month, and she has begun her promo cycle with a series of videos across social media. Let’s watch one.
My Story.
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) September 5, 2024
My Perspective.
The Truth. https://t.co/ZCTwZSqZND pic.twitter.com/HHGQaA6d5v
This is the only video where it’s sort of clear that she’s selling a memoir. I like that it’s kind of reminiscent of a slideshow you might see at a wedding or a graduation, not too good. “I feel a responsibility to clarify the facts,” she says as the music swells, “I believe it is important to share my perspective, the truth.” Facts, perspective, and truth? This book promises to be an epistemological disaster.
https://t.co/ZCTwZSqZND pic.twitter.com/Xvn7Q4gUpZ
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) September 8, 2024
Next, there’s this one, which was clearly made with iMovie and a prayer. That being said, there is something compelling about it. I think it’s the font? Or maybe it’s when she says, “The 2020 election results changed our lives forever. It impacted our quality of life, cost of food, gasoline, safety, and even the geopolitical landscape.” Even the geopolitical landscape. Can you believe it?
https://t.co/ZCTwZSqZND pic.twitter.com/KKA6anTEYC
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) September 10, 2024
Whoever is behind these videos is clearly playing with the style to see which works the best. Here, they have abandoned the black-and-white montage in favor of Melania giving a direct-to-camera address in full color. They’ve also abandoned any notion of Melania telling her own story; instead she speaks about the recent attempt on her husband’s life.
“There is definitely more to the story, and we need to uncover the truth,” she says before the video cuts to an image of her book cover. Is her memoir — which purportedly will include “48 pages of never-before-seen photographs” — now a true-crime book that gets to the bottom of her husband’s assassination attempt? I wish. In actuality, these videos are just a poor attempt at reheating Trump talking points. You can’t deny that they do have a certain style, though.
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