Former Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz lauded first lady Melania Trump for her “outstanding service,” while slamming the “unscrupulous liberal media” for its coverage of the president’s wife.
“In her four years of outstanding service as America’s first lady, Melania Trump could never dream of receiving the fawning media coverage now being showered upon Jill Biden, who will become our next first lady Jan. 20 unless President Trump succeeds in overturning the Electoral College vote selecting Joe Biden as president,” Chaffetz, who now works as a Fox News correspondent, wrote in an op-ed.
He went on to say that Trump “deserves to be recognized as an exceptional first lady” as “she managed to launch a successful anti-bullying campaign, conduct important outreach abroad, protect her teenage son from relentless bullying, and serve as an inspiration to those trying to integrate into American culture.”
“I find it sad that an unscrupulous liberal media treated Mrs. Trump so unfairly compared to their obsequious coverage of former first lady Michelle Obama and now Jill Biden. Even traditionally nonpolitical outlets ignored Mrs. Trump and dismissed her,” he added.
Incoming first lady Jill Biden has been overwhelmingly lauded by the media and was defended by many outlets last week after a Wall Street Journal opinion piece said she should not be referred to as “Dr. Jill Biden” as she does not hold a medical degree.
Chaffetz also turned his attention to how Trump’s predecessor, Michelle Obama, was treated by the media with more glowing coverage than Trump was.
“Despite her successful career as a fashion model, we didn’t get the barrage of stories about Mrs. Trump’s wardrobe choices that bombarded us when Michelle Obama was first lady. Many didn’t miss such coverage, but the discrepancy is telling,” he wrote.
“The unfair and biased coverage of Melania Trump is a missed opportunity. Having a first lady who is herself an immigrant, who speaks five languages, and who comes from far outside the elite circles of government is a story that exemplifies the American experiment. Had this first lady been the wife of a Democratic president, the media would have been clamoring to tell her story and to get her commentary an array of issues,” Chaffetz added.
He noted that Trump “made few missteps during her tenure” but “has never been given the same benefit of the doubt enjoyed by previous first ladies.”
“Mrs. Trump leaves behind a legacy as a classy and compassionate first lady who was deserving of the respect owed the office,” he concluded.
