# Will Melania Trump's pro-choice stance be a factor in the election? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [October 3, 2024, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425 "2024-10-03T22:09:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/1 "2024-10-03T22:09:32Z")
This was not the October Surprise I was expecting. Melania Trump has gone public as being strongly pro-choice. Will pro-life voters be worried about what the potential first lady thinks? Will this effect how they vote? I don’t see them switching to Harris but this might make some of them decide to not for Trump either. The timing seems unusual. Why did she choose to make this statement a month before her husband’s election? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/2 "2024-10-03T22:14:29Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Melania Trump has gone public as being strongly pro-choice. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The timing seems unusual. Why did she choose to make this statement a month before her husband’s election? I read it was a leaked excerpt from her new book? Can you please link to her public statement? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/3 "2024-10-03T22:16:37Z")
Some of it is leaks from her upcoming book (which is due to be published next week). But she has also made public statements in response to the leaks. > **[Melania Trump passionately defends abortion rights in upcoming memoir](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/02/melania-trump-memoir-defends-abortion-rights)** > > Exclusive: ‘I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life,’ former first lady writes in memoir > **[‘No room for compromise’: Melania Trump reiterates abortion rights support](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/03/melania-trump-memoir-abortion)** > > Ex-first lady calls reproductive freedom an ‘essential right’ in first public response to news of abortion rights defense ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/4 "2024-10-03T22:17:36Z")
If Donald Trump’s constantly changing position isn’t a factor for pro-life voters than why would Melania Trump’s position matter to them? ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/5 "2024-10-03T22:18:02Z")
Melanie Trump is not running for elected office. She can’t even keep her husband from having affairs with porn stars and then paying them hush money. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/6 "2024-10-03T22:18:14Z")
I think it will be completely irrelevant. Republican candidates’ wives have often been pro choice, by my memory. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/7 "2024-10-03T22:21:01Z")
Okay but what about the other issue. After choosing to remain publicly silent on this issue for at least eight years, why did she decide to go public now? Even if the book excerpt hadn’t been leaked, it was going to be published next Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/8 "2024-10-03T22:21:28Z")
Thank you. I suspect it will have little factor. The “pro-life” voters know the battle was won in the courts, not the President’s family’s opinions. Trump will keep loading the courts for them. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/9 "2024-10-03T22:22:24Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The “pro-life” voters know the battle was won in the courts, not the President’s family’s opinions. This. Trump got Roe tossed and they will always vote for him because of that. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/10 "2024-10-03T22:24:17Z")
The sorts of voters who are pro-life are also the sorts of voters who think the husband should be the one who makes the decisions in a marriage, particularly a strong alpha male like Trump. Melania’s opinions on the subject are irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/11 "2024-10-03T22:24:57Z")
My success at predicting what might help or hurt Trump has been rather dismal over the last eight years. There was a time when I thought such an announcement by Melania would hurt Trump, but that was back when I thought Evangelist Christians had principles. i.e. I didn’t agree with them but I could at least have a discussion with them because I knew where they stood. But through talking to some Evangelicals I know about Trump and various articles over the years, they’re more than happy to sell out those values if it’s good for them politically. Part of me wants to say this hurts Trump. As head of the household, as God intended of course, the rest of the family should fall into line with what the pater familias believes. He’s their spiritual head after all and if Trump can’t control his own house then how can get run the country? But in another thread, one Doper says they believe this is a deliberate ploy to attract suburban women into Trump’s camp. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me, but then very little about these last three elections have made sense to me. I don’t think this will push the needle much in either direction, but then you might not need to push it a lot to attain victory or the crushing jaws of defeat. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/12 "2024-10-03T22:30:37Z")
If nothing else, I feel this will be an issue that reporters will be asking Trump about. He’s going to have to spend time discussing his relations with his wife when he’d rather be attacking Harris. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/13 "2024-10-03T22:33:16Z")
I don’t think this is going to make the slightest bit of difference. Melania doesn’t have nearly the influence she probably thinks she does. The reality is that Trump’s lunatic judges got Roe overturned, and the anti-abortionists know it. Trump himself is pretending to be indifferent and is saying “leave it to the states”. And that’s where we are, and that’s where things will remain until and unless there’s a major overhaul of a highly politicized Supreme Court. What Melania thinks matters not one whit. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I feel this will be an issue that reporters will be asking Trump about. Not a problem! Trump has never honestly answered a question in his life. People keep mistaking Trump for a normal human being. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/14 "2024-10-03T22:35:46Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Not a problem! Trump has never honestly answered a question in his life. People keep mistaking Trump for a normal human being. Yes, but Trump’s usual practice when somebody says something he doesn’t want to talk about is to go into attack mode. Even Trump must realize he’s going to look bad if he starts attacking his own wife. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/15 "2024-10-03T22:42:09Z")
She’s no Michelle Obama. Quite the opposite, in fact. Zero impact on the election. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/16 "2024-10-03T22:45:21Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The timing seems unusual. Why did she choose to make this statement a month before her husband’s election? Because in about 34 more days nobody is going to care what she has to say about anything ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/17 "2024-10-03T22:49:07Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Zero impact on the election. Voters really don’t care, do u? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/18 "2024-10-03T22:56:41Z")
Trump has been framing the overturn of Roe as a state’s rights issue rather than a moral one. Melania’s stance will make it a little easier for pro-choice Republicans to pull the lever for Trump. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/19 "2024-10-03T23:00:42Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > She can’t even keep her husband from having affairs with porn stars and then paying them hush money. Ohhh, _burn_. I’d love to see an interview where someone asks her about this and she replies. It’s the only reason I’m less than 100% onboard with HRC. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425/20 "2024-10-03T23:03:36Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Yes, but Trump’s usual practice when somebody says something he doesn’t want to talk about is to go into attack mode. Or the alternative Trumpian way: « Melania Trump? Don’t know her. » [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-melania-trumps-pro-choice-stance-be-a-factor-in-the-election/1008425.md?page=2)