Melania Trump takes on the difficult topics
The President's wife gives an unusual speech at the Republican Convention. And emphasizes the human side of Donald Trump.
US First Lady Melania Trump campaigned for her husband to be re-elected in a party conference speech - and spoke unusually openly about the effects of the corona crisis on the USA.
"I'm standing here because we need my husband four more years as president and commander in chief of the armed forces," said the first lady on Tuesday evening (local time) in the rose garden of the White House. "He is the best for our country."
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The 50-year-old praised her husband's "leadership strength", which the country now needs "more than ever". At the same time, Trump's third wife tried to emphasize the human side of the president. "We all know that Donald Trump makes no secret of what he feels" - an allusion to the often rough and aggressive nature of the right-wing populist.
"Whether you like it or not, you always know what you're thinking," explained the former model from Slovenia. "And that's because he's an authentic person who loves this country and its people."
US citizens deserved "absolute honesty" - a phrase that made observers frown at Trump's often casual approach to the truth.
"Covid-19, the invisible enemy"
At the beginning of her speech, the first lady addressed the corona crisis. Since March the lives of the people in the USA have "changed drastically": "The invisible enemy Covid-19 has passed over our beautiful country and has hit us all," said the President's wife and expressed her "deepest condolences" to all those affected. Many people worried and felt "helpless". "I want you to know: you are not alone."
In the USA, more than 178,000 people have died as a result of a corona infection, by far the highest number in the world. At the party conference of Trump's Republicans, the suffering caused by the pandemic has so far hardly played a role.
Melania Trump had shown herself with a mask weeks before her husband and recommended wearing masks and keeping their distance.
Rather, Trump's handling of the pandemic was repeatedly praised: In speeches and videos, the president was portrayed as a determined crisis manager, although critics attribute Trump to a decisive share of responsibility for the extent of the crisis.
"Are not proud of parts of our history"
Melania Trump said Tuesday that her husband will "fight" for the people: "Donald will not rest until he has done everything possible to take care of everyone who has been hit by this terrible pandemic."
The First Lady's advisors stressed in advance that "every word" of the speech is from herself. This is worth mentioning because, four years ago, in her speech at the party congress, Melania Trump partially copied entire passages from a speech by President's wife Michelle Obama. The "New York Times" speculates that Melania's appearance could attract women in the suburbs in particular to Trump's side.
The wife of the President also addressed the problem of racism in the USA with unusual frankness. "It's a harsh reality that we are not proud of parts of our history." People have to focus on the future, but at the same time learn from the past.
At the same time, Melania Trump condemned riots on the edge of protests against racism and police violence against blacks.
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In the United States, since the death of the African American George Floyd in a brutal police operation in Minneapolis in late May, national protests have taken place. President Trump takes a tough line in dealing with the demonstrations. Critics accuse him of fueling tension rather than resolutely addressing the issue of racism.
