One lingering concern about Donald Trump’s presidency is that he and his family could use the power of the Oval Office to profit personally. Last month, the president said he would place his sprawling business empire in a trust under the control of his two oldest sons in an effort to dodge any suggestion of conflicts of interest. (Some experts say his plan comes up short).
Melania Trump, meanwhile, seems to be taking a decidedly different approach. Instead of dismissing the possibility of self-serving motives, a new lawsuit filed on her behalf claims she has missed out on chances to benefit from her new found fame.
A lawyer for the first lady on Monday sued the parent company of the Daily Mail over the publication of an article that alleged that the first lady once worked for an escort service. The filing says the false accusation hurt her brand’s value and cost her licensing, marketing, and endorsement opportunities worth “multiple millions of dollars.” The lawsuit does not say specifically that Trump would push products during her term as first lady. But it does mention her “unique, once-in-lifetime opportunity” to launch a commercial brand over “a multiyear term during which [Trump] is one of the most photographed women in the world.” The lawsuit mentions apparel, accessories, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, hair care, skin care, and fragrance as potential product categories.
Representatives for Trump told the Washington Post yesterday that she has no intention of using her position for personal gain.
Nevertheless, the lawsuit is jaw-dropping, mainly because it is fueling conflict-of-interest concerns that have plagued President Trump since his campaign’s conception. But it’s also extraordinary because the image it paints of the first lady contrasts so starkly to the one she’s crafted thus far— a barely visible figure in the administration, who has offered little indication of how she plans to embrace her new role on the world stage.