Stephanie Grisham, who previously served as press secretary for former President Donald Trump and was closely associated with Melania Trump, criticized the former first lady’s January 6, 2021, texts during her speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago.
Having been a press aide during Trump’s 2016 campaign, Grisham was the White House press secretary from July 2019 to April 2020, later becoming Melania Trump’s communications director and chief of staff. She ultimately resigned on the day of the Capitol riots, stating in a Meet The Press interview that she had contemplated resigning multiple times prior, but Melania convinced her to stay.
Post-White House, Grisham’s relationship with Trump and his circle deteriorated. In her 2021 memoir, I’ll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw at the Trump White House, she criticized Trump for creating a “culture of fear and chaos.”
During her recent speech at the DNC, she shared her attempt to communicate with Melania during the Capitol attack. Grisham revealed, “On Jan. 6, I asked Melania if we could at least tweet that ‘while peaceful protest is the right of every American, there’s no place for lawlessness or violence.’ She replied with one word … ‘no.'” The audience responded positively when she declared, “I became the first senior staffer to resign that day. I couldn’t be a part of the insanity any longer.”
Grisham’s choice to support Democrat Kamala Harris surprised many given her prior alignment with Trump. She stated, “While I don’t agree with Vice President Harris on everything, I am proud to support her because I know she will uphold our freedoms and represent our nation with integrity.”
A Harris campaign representative added that they welcome voters who reject Trump’s extreme politics. Grisham didn’t shy away from criticizing Trump, claiming he “mocks his supporters” privately. She noted that unlike Trump, she never wanted to “stand at that podium and lie,” emphasizing her shift to advocating for a Democrat stems from prioritizing her love for the country over party loyalty.
In response, a representative from the Trump camp posted a rebuttal, mocking Grisham’s past role as a press secretary who never held a briefing, and suggested that few would remember her for her so-called ‘bravery’ when voting in November. The statement also shared video footage of Grisham’s DNC speech.