Donald Trump has revealed what former first lady Melania Trump thinks of his trial in New York in remarks during a break from proceedings in court this morning.
The former president is currently on trial for civil fraud charges brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
His co-defendants include his two adult sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, as well as his eponymous company, the Trump Organization, and senior associates.
Before the bench trial began, Justice Arthur Engoron ruled that fraud had been committed by the defendants whom the attorney general’s office accused of grossly inflating the value of assets and Mr Trump’s own net worth to secure loans from financial institutions on more favourable terms.
The defendants have pleaded not guilty and the former president has been especially vocal claiming the case should never have been brought.
Now, thanks to comments captured by videographer Kyle Mazza of News12 New Jersey, the former first lady’s apparent thoughts on the case are known.
Asked what his wife thinks about the case, Mr Trump replied: “She thinks it’s a total disgrace, she thinks it’s very, very unfair, and all that it is is election interference.”
Seldom seen in public, and even more rarely beside her husband, the former first lady has maintained her distance from the multitude of legal problems dogging the former president.
After decamping from their winter home at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida — the epicentre of one of the federal cases against Mr Trump — the former president has spent much of the summer at his golf club at Bedminster, New Jersey.
Ms Trump,People reported in August, spent the majority of the summer in Manhattan. She has not been at his side during any of the appearances or campaign events surrounding his indictments.
Citing a “social source”, People said: “Melania publicly supports her husband but privately prefers a life with 100 per cent privacy and no press scrutiny.”
“She knows how her husband is but still believes there has been too much dumping on him and wants nothing to do with any of it,” the source continues.
“She hates all of the legal problems and says very little about them anytime anywhere. She leads her own life.”
As her husband jets around the country vehemently denying the allegations made against him in the four indictments, Ms Trump has remained notoriously private, spending her time with family and very few trusted friends.
The source explains: “Unlike others who belong to her husband’s clubs, she doesn’t rely on outside stimulants to guide her daily life. She has her son, other family members, and select friends.”
In September, Mr Trump was asked by Meet the Press host Kristen Welker if “we’ll see [Melania] on the trail soon”.
“Yeah. Pretty soon,” he replied. “When it’s appropriate, but pretty soon.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump arrive for a New Years event at his Mar-a-Lago home on December 31, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida.— (Getty Images)
Mr Trump told Welker that the former first lady has been busy taking care of their 17-year-old son Barron.
He added that he wants to prevent her from being exposed to the “nasty and mean” political scene.
“She’s a private person, a great person, a very confident person,” he said of his wife, a former model. “And she loves our country very much.”
Later in September, it was reported by Page Six that Ms Trump had “quietly” renegotiated her prenuptial agreement.
A source said: “This is at least the third time Melania has renegotiated the terms of her marital agreement.” However, the source added that it’s not because the former first lady is going anywhere.
“Melania is most concerned about maintaining and increasing a substantial trust for their son”, the insider told the outlet.
“This agreement was necessary because of the current legal battles … [Donald] has suffered,” they added.
“Trump remains very rich, but with mounting legal bills and judgements,” adding that the renegotiated prenup agreement would “provide a more solid future” for Melania and Barron if they divorced. “It’s not that she threatened to leave him,” the source clarified. “It’s definitely the underlying idea.”
Another source told the outlet: “I know that she wanted it to provide her with more money, and also — from what I understand — there’s a specific amount at minimum that Barron is supposed to obtain.”
Before the couple left Florida for the summer, they were pictured together at an Easter brunch at Mar-a-Lago in April and attended the club’s New Year’s Eve party to close out 2022.
Ms Trump was at her husband’s side in November 2022 when he launched his 2024 campaign to return to the White House.
