CNN Airs Recordings of Melania Trump Discussing Child Separation Criticism

On Thursday, CNN aired a secretly-recorded conversation between First Lady Melania Trump and a former friend from 2018. In the recordings, Melania complained about critics of the Trump administration’s child separation policy and said some migrants are trained to lie about gang violence to get asylum. Melania was also displeased with the “liberal media’s” alleged refusal to cover her attempts to reunite a separated family. Additionally, Melania discussed her stress from planning the White House’s Christmas decorations: “I'm working...my [expletive] off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a [expletive] about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?” Coverage in some left-rated outlets described Melania’s comments as “profane,” saying she “downplayed” border conditions and “took aim” at migrant children and critics. Coverage in some right-rated outlets criticized left-rated outlets’ coverage and conveyed more favorable views of the First Lady. Coverage in some right-rated outlets also used sensationalist language, such as “trashed” and “lashing out.”