During the first presidential candidate debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the controversial candidate made his opinions on abortion known: he didn't really have a clue what he thought.
In one unhinged part of the debate, Trump claimed that Harris' running mate, Tim Walz, had said that "abortion in the ninth month is absolutely fine," and that "execution after birth — execution, no longer abortion because the baby is born — is OK."
Trump was quickly fact-checked for this outlandish claim: it was not legal in any state, including Walz's Minnesota where he governs, to kill a baby after birth.
This fast-and-loose approach to the facts is part of Trump's brand, but does his wife actually agree with the policies he has long endorsed?
Melania Trump has never been one to share her own politics. She's always been rather guarded when speaking out, well when we actually see her in public at all — more recently, she hasn't attended any of Trump's speaking events.
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It turns out she's been busy: she's selling vaguely threatening Christmas baubles and she's penned her first memoir, simply titled Melania, which will be released on October 8, four weeks before the US Election.
The Guardian has shared several excerpts from the book and when it comes to her views on abortion, this is not what anyone expected.
At a time when abortion is one of the most important deciding factors in how US people choose to vote, Melania has come out as a staunch believer in a woman's right to choose.
Somebody tell her husband. Although to be fair, he admitted at a recent rally, he "didn't" actually read her book because he was "so busy".
"I hope she said good things," he told a rally in Long Island, New York.
So what did Melania say?
"It is imperative to guarantee that women have autonomy in deciding their preference of having children, based on their own convictions, free from any intervention or pressure from the government," the former first lady wrote.
Umm, okay.
She continued, "Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body? A woman's fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes.
"Restricting a woman's right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying her control over her own body. I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life."
A little reminder: her husband, Donald Trump, was the man pulling the strings behind the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which protected federal abortion rights since 1973.
It's a badge he wears with honour.
On the campaign trail, he pledged that as president he "would appoint pro-life judges," and he did. As president, he nominated three justices — Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch — who made up the majority opinion reversing Roe in June 2022.
The decision has stripped the rights of women to access safe abortions in many states across the US, which sounds a lot like "intervention or pressure from the government," as Melania rejects in her book.
The former model wrote in the memoir that she there are "occasional political disagreements between me and my husband," but she believes in "addressing them privately rather than publicly challenging him."
And while she's never spoken publicly about her pro-abortion stance, she spoke openly about how 'timing matters' when it comes to terminating pregnancy, and went on to dismiss the rhetoric spun by pro-lifers (like Trump aka her husband) about the frequency of late-term abortions.
"It is important to note that historically, most abortions conducted during the later stages of pregnancy were the result of severe fetal abnormalities that probably would have led to the death or stillbirth of the child. Perhaps even the death of the mother," she wrote.
"These cases were extremely rare and typically occurred after several consultations between the woman and her doctor. As a community, we should embrace these common-sense standards. Again, timing matters."
She calls for 'empathy' for these women.
"These situations with significant moral implications weigh heavily on the woman and her family and deserve our empathy," she wrote.
"Our next generation must be provided with knowledge, security, safety, and solace, and the cultural stigma associated with abortion must be lifted."
Melania even attempted to relate to the pro-choice movement's most famous slogan, which again, is something her husband is vocally against.
"The slogan 'My Body, My Choice' is typically associated with women activists and those who align with the pro-choice side of the debate," she wrote.
"But if you really think about it, 'My Body, My Choice' applies to both sides – a woman's right to make an independent decision involving her own body, including the right to choose life. Personal freedom."
All the while, Trump has called himself the most "pro-life president" in history.
During his four years in office, Trump's administration tried to defund abortion care clinic Planned Parenthood by signing a bill in 2017 to allow states to strip funding from the organisation and other clinics offering abortions.
His administration made concerted efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act and modify its provisions related to contraceptive coverage and abortion insurance. Although unsuccessful in fully repealing the ACA, Trump supported legislation like the American Health Care Act, which sought to restrict abortion coverage in private insurance plans.
Trump's commitment to anti-abortion policies was especially evident in his administrative appointments. A notable example was Charmaine Yoest, former CEO of Americans United for Life, who was appointed to a senior communications role at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Trump administration's stance on abortion was further reinforced through various policy initiatives. In 2017, the HHS strategic plan included language defining life as beginning at conception.
With all this in mind, Melania's stance couldn't be more out of step with Trump's policies.
If Trump ever does read his wife's book, he might not like what he finds.
Feature image: Getty.