Former US President Donald Trump took an unconventional approach to Valentine’s Day this year. In a fundraising email sent Wednesday morning, he used a love letter to his fundraising to ask supporters for money. In a message posted by the Save America PAC Joint Fundraising Committee, the former president thanked Melania for her unwavering support and called on donors to help him run for office again in 2024.
The 77-year-old former president wrote in the letter, “You are my greatest love through everything. Even in the face of every indictment, investigation, and witch hunt, you never left my side. And for that, I love you.” He also encouraged readers to visit a website where they could leave their own words of affection for the first lady. He then asked for donations to the campaign, offering options of $47 or more and a possibility to set up a recurring donation.
The text ended with an image of the former president and first lady smiling at each other with a red heart. Melania is a Slovenian-born model who married Trump in 2005 after he divorced Ivana Zelnickova and separated from Czech model Marla Maples. The couple has one son, Barron. Since leaving the White House, she has been largely absent from public life, spending most of her time at their Florida home, Mar-a-Lago.
Melania hasn’t joined her husband on his 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns or attended his numerous criminal trials. However, she is often seen at their private club, where she has been pictured alongside her son and other family members.
Trump is currently facing 91 felony counts across four federal and state indictments, including election subversion charges alleging that the Republican presidential nominee attempted to alter the results of the 2020 general election, as well as obstruction of justice charges stemming from his refusal to hand over documents related to an FBI probe into his hush-money payments to adult film stars and director Michael Avenatti. The Republican candidate is claiming innocence in all the cases, calling them part of a political witch hunt.
Trump’s unusual use of a love letter to his wife has garnered criticism on social media. Several people have pointed out that the former president’s appeal for donations to his campaign is an inappropriate use of a love message to a spouse. Others have questioned whether or not the email is really from Melania or if it is simply another ploy to distract from his legal troubles.
