Melania Trump’s spokeswoman dimissed critics who say the first lady’s efforts to combat bullying are offset by President Trump’s own behavior.
“Mrs. Trump is independent and acts independently from her husband,” Melania Trump’s communications director, Stephanie Grisham, told CNN. “She does what she feels is right and knows that she has a real opportunity through her role as first lady to have a positive impact on the lives of children. Her only focus is to effect change within our next generation.”
The first lady and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited a Michigan school on Monday to draw attention to the White House’s National Bullying Prevention Month initiative.
“By our own example, we must teach children to be good stewards of the world they will inherit. We need to remember that they are always watching and listening,” Trump said in a statement about the visit.
Trump, who announced on the campaign trail that she wanted to combat cyberbullying as first lady, has been criticized when her husband takes to Twitter to attack his opponents.
On behalf of Melania Trump, Grisham said in July the president “will punch back 10 times harder” when he gets attacked.
