First lady Melania Trump has responded to the explosive op-ed published in The New York Times on Wednesday from an anonymous administration official who claimed to be a part of the “resistance” inside the White House.
“To the writer of the op-ed ― you are not protecting this country, you are sabotaging it with your cowardly actions,” read a statement attributed to the first lady.
The op-ed sent shockwaves through the nation almost immediately after it was published because it explicitly said that members of the administration were attempting to prevent President Donald Trump from advancing parts of his agenda.
Melania Trump’s statement took particular aim at the Times’ decision to publish the op-ed anonymously. While calling the free press “important to our democracy,” the statement made a veiled swipe at the newspaper, saying the “press should be fair, unbiased and responsible.”
“Unidentified sources have become the majority of the voices people hear about in today’s news. People with no names are writing our nation’s history. Words are important, and accusations can lead to severe consequences,” the statement continued.
“If a person is bold enough to accuse people of negative actions,” it added, “they have a responsibility to publicly stand by their words and people have the right to be able to defend themselves.”
Melania Trump’s apparent reaction comes on the heels of her husband’s. The president told reporters during a White House event with sheriffs from across the country that the Times was full of “dishonest people” and that the media will be out of business after he leaves office.
“So if the failing New York Times has an anonymous editorial ― can you believe it? Meaning gutless, a gutless editorial,” said Trump.
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