Melania's Art of the Grift
She learned from a master con artist
Melania Trump has always had a little side action going on with small business deals to supplement whatever allowance her husband has given her over the years. But the former First Lady has taken the Art of the Grift to a different level over the past two years.
With Melania almost never seen in public with her husband since departing the White House in 2021, with the pair seemingly residing in separate locations most of the time, it may be that she is looking for some measure of financial independence as part of her exit strategy - especially since her beloved husband will likely be facing prison time unless he prevails in this election.
The heavy grifting began after Trump set up his 'Save America' PAC and other associated PACs to supposedly help Republican candidates in the 2022 midterm elections. Except hardly any of it went to candidates. The MAGA rubes dutifully sent their checks in to their savior, but it mostly went to pay Trump's lawyers. And Melania's stylist and hairdresser.
Melania's hairdresser, Herve Pierre Braillard was paid $132,000 just in 2022 out of Trump's PAC. This was labeled on campaign finance reports as "Strategy Consulting." He was paid an additional $108,000 in 2023.
Melania has also been making serious bank for brief appearances where she reads off short, prepared remarks to small groups. CNN reported today that Melania was paid $237,500 for a short talk before less than 50 people at the Log Cabin (LBGT) event at Mar-a-Lago this past April, another $250,000 for an appearance before the same group in December 2022, and another $250,000 for an appearance before a group called 'Fix California' run by Ric Grenell. (Grenell is angling to be Trump's Secretary of State).
Melania has also received at least $330,000 for licensing agreements related to sales of her NFTs.
Melania also had her 'Memoir' coming out next week, which she has been promoting heavily with daily audio clips posted across multiple social media platforms. It is unknown exactly how much of an advance she received for the book.
Melania has also has had a website up for the last few years, which at first only contained a few items. Now, MelaniaTrump.com has been turned into a veritable MAGA home shopping network, where she is selling overpriced jewelry and trinkets. She unveiled today a 'Vote Freedom' necklace for $600. She is selling a separate 'Love and Gratitude' necklace for $245.
She sold four different NFTs for $150 each. Three of them were drawings of her face (one just of her eyes) and the other was a digital drawing of a rose. She is also selling a variety of Christmas ornaments for $75-90 each, which has her signature engraved on the back of each one.
Melania also sold NFTs for $50 to supposedly commemorate Independence Day in 2023.
Melania also sold a Mother's Day necklace in this past April for $245.
Melania Selling $245 Necklace for Mother's Day
In 2022, Melania auctioned off the hat she wore when she met French President Macron while First Lady, along with two other items that she signed - a watercolor painting of her wearing the hat and an NFT of it. The opening bid was set at $250,000, but nobody was willing to pay that. She ultimately made $170,000 off the sale.
Despite Donald Trump's repeated assurances to his rally crowds over the past two years that Melania will be out on the campaign trail any day now, she has yet to make a single appearance with him at a rally. The only campaign related appearance she has made was at the RNC convention, where she refused to speak despite both Trump and his senior campaign advisors begging her to do so.
Report: Melania Refuses to Speak at RNC
It is clear that Melania wants nothing to do with her husband. She refuses to travel with him. She did not go to where he was in the aftermath of the shooting incident at the rally in PA. She appeared with him at her mother's funeral, Barron's graduation, and a small handful of events at Mar-a-Lago. That's pretty much it. However, it is equally clear that she is going to cash in as much as possible while she still can on Trump's cultish MAGA base, who seem willing to shell out cash for anything affiliated with the First Family of Grift.
With Trump launching his new crypto scam and his Trump Media stock in the toilet, there may not be much money left to go around much longer.
‘A portion” with no explanation of what that is. Likely a dollar.