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With one month until the election on November 5, Melania’s decision to make such a political statement prompted questions about her motives.

After all, she was nowhere to be seen as Trump faced a six-week trial that eventually convicted him of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal.

She made a brief non-speaking appearance alongside him at the Republican National Convention shortly after he survived an assassination attempt in July, but then disappeared, yet again, from the public spotlight.

And while she has pushed out a number of social media videos promoting her book, and gave an interview to Fox & Friends ahead of its release, her comments, until now, have been relatively uncontroversial.

Asked about Melania’s memoir on Thursday (Friday AEST), Trump told Fox News: “We spoke about it, and I said you have to write what you believe. I’m not going to tell you what to do; you have to write what you believe. She’s very beloved, our former first lady, I can tell you that, but I said you have to stick with your heart.”

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But Kristan Hawkins, president of the pro-life advocacy group Students for Life of America hit out at her.

“Melania Trump’s support of abortion is anti-feminist and clearly outside the teaching of our Catholic faith. She is wrong,” said Hawkins, whose group spent years lobbying politicians to curtail abortion in the US.

CNN commentator Van Jones described her intervention as “bizarre”, while others viewed it as a clever ploy to sell more books or lift her husband’s approval rating with women.

For months, Trump struggled to find a balance on abortion, which is an issue that has not only galvanised Democrats, but also cost Republicans’ votes among moderate and traditionally conservative women who fear banning abortion with virtually no exceptions goes too far.

At the 2022 midterm elections, for instance, Democrats were able to stave off an anticipated Republican red wave thanks in part to abortion being a hot button issue in most states.

In a sign of the challenge Trump faces, it took him until Tuesday to say he would veto a federal abortion ban if Republicans in Congress tried to push such a bill. But this came after months of refusing to answer questions on the subject for fear of angering his pro-life base.

Democrats and abortion rights advocates nonetheless remain sceptical, saying that he cannot be trusted when it comes to restricting reproductive rights.

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