One Of Melania Trump's Inappropriate Outfits Infuriated Trump
An ill-timed jacket set off a firestorm of controversy. Donald Trump defended it publicly, but what did he say behind closed doors?
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00:00 An ill-timed jacket set off a firestorm of controversy. Donald Trump defended it publicly,
00:06 but what did he say behind closed doors?
00:08 Melania Trump hasn't been immune to an inappropriate outfit or two over the years, but there's
00:13 one in particular that reportedly got under her husband's skin. Political watchers will
00:18 likely remember the seriously inappropriate jacket she wore back in June 2018, which had
00:23 the phrase "I really don't care, do you?" written across the back.
00:27 The then-First Lady wore the piece during a trip to Texas, where she was visiting families
00:31 affected by migrant detention centers. In the 2024 book American Woman, the transformation
00:37 of the modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden, Katie Rogers, The New York
00:42 Times' White House correspondent, claimed Donald Trump was seriously unhappy about his
00:47 wife sporting the item, so much so that he didn't hold back on his wife or her press
00:51 secretary, Stephanie Grisham.
00:54 According to Rogers, Grisham later recalled that Trump summoned the two of them to his
00:58 office, yelled at them, and then decided that the official explanation for the jacket would
01:02 be that Melania was speaking directly to the media. Grisham previously wrote about the
01:07 jacket in her tense meeting with the Trumps to discuss it in her 2021 book I'll Take Your
01:12 Questions Now.
01:13 Back then, she claimed Donald Trump asked the two of them amid the intense media scrutiny,
01:18 "What the hell were you thinking?"
01:20 Melania Trump's green Zara jacket no doubt caused serious controversy all over the world,
01:25 but there were mixed messages at the time about exactly why she'd worn it, and many
01:29 questioned her intentions.
01:30 "Does Melania Trump really care?"
01:34 Journalist Julia Reinstein wrote on X that a statement from the then-First Lady's spokesperson
01:38 claimed that her decision to wear the controversial slogan wasn't intentional. The statement read,
01:44 "After today's important visit to Texas, I hope the media isn't going to choose to focus
01:48 on her wardrobe."
01:49 Stephanie Grisham also tweeted about the jacket on the day her boss wore it, writing,
01:54 "If media would spend their time and energy on her actions and efforts to help kids, rather
01:58 than speculate and focus on her wardrobe, we could get so much accomplished on behalf
02:02 of children."
02:03 Grisham also included the telling hashtags, "She cares" and "It's just a jacket."
02:09 However, Donald Trump clearly wasn't happy with that explanation. He tweeted about the
02:13 clothing following Grisham's explanation, writing,
02:16 "I really don't care do you" written on the back of Melania's jacket, refers to the fake
02:20 news media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares.
02:26 The social media post seemingly came after his reported crisis meeting with the duo.
02:31 Melania Trump herself spoke about the controversial jacket four months later. Appearing on ABC
02:35 News, Trump claimed she'd only intended to wear the jacket getting on and off the plane,
02:40 not while visiting the children. She also confirmed there was a target for the slogan.
02:44 "And it was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me."
02:51 But Stephanie Grisham had a different take on what really happened. In her book, Grisham
02:55 wrote she didn't know there was a message on Trump's jacket until they were on the plane.
02:59 After headlines began popping up while they were en route, Grisham recalled Trump suggesting
03:04 they put a cross through the word "don't." But knowing the photos were already out there,
03:08 Grisham told her not to wear the jacket when she deboarded.
03:11 She didn't take Grisham's advice, though, reportedly believing it would make her look
03:15 like she, quote, "did something wrong." Trump, as we know, ended up wearing the jacket, and
03:19 the two decided to defend her fashion.
03:21 And now, Grisham is back in the White House.
03:22 And there's more to come.
03:22 (gentle music)
03:25 you