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Though Melania Trump has remained silent and largely out of the public eye in the wake of her husband's sexual abuse and defamation case by writer E. Jean Carroll, the former first lady has privately expressed skepticism about the lawsuit, two unnamed sources familiar with her remarks told The New York Times. According to the sources, she privately questioned why Carroll could not recall the exact date she said Trump sexually assaulted her in a high-end, Manhattan department store dressing room.
Melania Trump was also reportedly "livid" when she watched the coverage of Donald Trump's deposition in the case, in which he, among other contentious comments, confused Carroll with his ex-wife. The former president's blunder is not what drew Melania Trump's ire, however. Instead, sources said, she was angry with his legal team's failure to raise more objections during the deposition.
Despite being silent amid her husband's ongoing legal battles and the onset of his renewed presidential bid, Melania Trump has expressed support for his candidacy and an interest in doing events for his campaign next year. Kellyanne Conway, a longtime Trump adviser and close associate of Melania Trump, told the Times that the former first lady was "all in" on her husband's candidacy and has maintained her status as his "most trusted and most transparent adviser." Conway added that both Trumps have privately talked "priorities" for a second term.