Melania Trump is facing accusations of plagiarism after a booklet published as part of her “Be Best” initiative resembles a document released during the Obama administration.
Trump’s brochure, “Talking with Kids about Being Online,” was published Monday. The official White House website stated it was “a booklet by First Lady Melania Trump and the Federal Trade Commission.”
The brochure appears to copy a brochure published by the FTC in 2014 titled, “Talking with Kids about Being Online,” though some language has been updated. The graphics and design were also similar.
The language on FLOTUS’s Be Best’s website has change
Earlier today: “Click here to read ‘Talking with Kids about Being Online,’ a booklet *by* First Lady Melania Trump and the FTC.”
Now: “a FTC booklet, *promoted by* first lady Melania Trump”
? pic.twitter.com/doW5AfJW0A— Blake Montgomery ? (@blakersdozen) May 8, 2018
The language on the White House website was later changed to “a Federal Trade Commission booklet, promoted by First Lady Melania Trump.”
Explaining the change, the White House told the Guardian that “there seemed to be confusion so we wanted to be clear.”
This is not the first time Trump has been accused of using words other than her own. At the Republican National Convention in 2016, a portion of Trump’s speech resembled former first lady Michelle Obama’s 2008 Democratic National Convention address.
