In the book “American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden,” authored by New York Times White House correspondent Katie Rogers, intriguing details have surfaced about the discord between former President Donald Trump and his wife Melania over their television viewing preferences.
The Huffington Post highlighted this revelation on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, noting Melania’s keen interest in CNN, a channel she reportedly watched with great enthusiasm. This preference starkly contrasted with Donald Trump’s inclination towards Fox News, which often provided him with more favorable coverage.
The difference in their TV choices led to notable tension within the White House, reaching a peak in July 2018 during a trip on Air Force One. Donald Trump was reportedly outraged to discover that Melania had tuned into CNN, leading to his directive that all televisions on the aircraft and in their hotel accommodations be set to Fox News henceforth.
This incident, along with details of the clash, was initially reported by Katie Rogers and her colleague Maggie Haberman in 2018, drawing on an internal email among White House staff that shed light on the severity of the disagreement and the lengths gone to accommodate the president’s media preferences.
“I think she was pissed at Trump and wanted him to be a little humiliated that she took off,” Grisham told Rogers according to the book.
The book delves into the evolving role of First Ladies in the 21st century, using this anecdote among others to illustrate the dynamics within the Trump household. Another significant conflict between the Trumps mentioned in the book pertains to a 2018 controversy involving a payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, intended to prevent her from discussing an alleged affair with Donald Trump in 2006.
Melania’s reaction to this situation was to cancel her participation in an overseas trip with her husband, a move that Stephanie Grisham, a former close aide to Melania, interprets in the book as a deliberate act to convey her discontent and possibly embarrass the president.
