Former First Lady Melania Trump voiced her support for abortion rights – a position that sharply contrasts with her husband Donald Trump's stance and Republican policy. “Individual freedom is a fundamental principle that I safeguard,” she said in a video released on Thursday (Oct. 3). “Without a doubt, there is no room for compromise when it comes to this essential right that all women possess from birth. Individual freedom. What does, ‘My body, my choice’ really mean?”

According to The Guardian, these statements echo sentiments from her upcoming memoir, "Melania." In the book, she argued that women should have complete autonomy in their reproductive decisions without government interference.

“Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body? A woman’s fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes,” Melania wrote in an excerpt shared by the publication. “Restricting a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying her control over her own body. I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life.”

The timing is notable given Donald's role in appointing three Supreme Court justices during his term as head of state, which ultimately led to Roe v. Wade being overturned in 2022. In a message posted on Truth Social this past Tuesday (Oct. 1), the former president claimed he would not accept a federal abortion ban, as he feels the decision should be left to the states. "I do not support the Democrats' radical position of late-term abortion," he added.

The Guardian also shared a quote from Kamala Harris' campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika regarding Melania's views. “Sadly, for women across America, Mrs. Trump’s husband firmly disagrees with her and is the reason that more than one in three American women live under a Trump abortion ban that threatens their health, their freedom, and their lives,” she stated. “Donald Trump has made it abundantly clear: If he wins in November, he will ban abortion nationwide, punish women, and restrict women’s access to reproductive healthcare.”