Trump Shares Melania Trump's letter to Putin

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22 hrs ago

Above: Melania Trump, President Donald Trump will leave the White House on July 11, 2025, in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Win McNamee/Getty Images

story last updated 22 hrs ago

The Spin

Pro-Trump narrative

Melania Trump’s letter was an exceptional play of soft power to entice Putin towards a rapid and peaceful solution to conflict in Ukraine. Involving the First Lady prompted excess publicity and allowed the administration to frame an end to war not as a concession, but as a shared desire in less partisan or politicized terms than would otherwise have been acceptable. This is a key success for the Trump administration.

FOX News

Establishment-critical narrative

Melania Trump's letter was a vapid publicity stunt designed to allow her to play at grandeur and diplomatic influence. The wording of the letter was not consequential, but vapid, with some going as far as to suggest it was written by AI. Rather than pandering to Putin — which the Trump administration did without even discussing routes to a ceasefire on Friday — Russia needs to be held accountable for its war crimes, including the abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children.

Mother Jones The Times