First Lady Melania Trump issued a statement on Monday expressing her condolences to the victims of the U.S. Capitol attack and condemning the violent events that took place on Jan. 6, 2021 when Trump supporters stormed the federal building.
However, it did not take long for people to realize that her address to the nation had once again been plagiarized from her own RNC speech earlier this year and included portions that were lifted word-for-word.
Comparisons made between FLOTUS' statement on the Capitol Riots and her RNC speech, show that the First Lady seems to have either copied or paraphrased portions of her August 2020 address and the statement she released on Monday.
'The Invisible Enemy, COVID-19'
"Like all of you, I have reflected on the past year and how the invisible enemy, Covid-19, swept across our beautiful country." – statement on Capitol riots (Jan. 11, 2021).
"The invisible enemy, Covid-19, swept across our beautiful country and impacted all of us." – RNC speech (Aug. 25, 2020).
'The People of Out Great Nation'
"It has been inspiring to witness firsthand what the people of our great Nation will do for one another, especially when we are at our most vulnerable." - statement on Capitol riots (Jan. 11, 2021).
"It has been inspiring to see what the people of our great nation will do for one another, especially when we are at our most fragile." - RNC speech (Aug. 25, 2020).
'Call on the Citizens of This Country'
"As an American, I am proud of our freedom to express our viewpoints without persecution... Many have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect that right. With that in mind, I would like to call on the citizens of this country to take a moment, pause, and look at things from all perspectives." - statement on Capitol riots (Jan. 11, 2021).
"You must remember that today we are all one community, comprised of many races, religions, and ethnicities... we still have so much to learn from one another. With that in mind, I would like to call on the citizens of this country to take a moment, pause, and look at things from all perspectives." - RNC speech (Aug. 25, 2020).
'You are the Backbone of This Country'
"We will look back and tell our grandchildren that through empathy, strength, and determination, we were able to restore the promise of our future. Each of you are the backbone of this country." - statement on Capitol riots (Jan. 11, 2021).
"We will look back and tell our grandchildren that your kindness and compassion, strength and determination, we were able to store the promise of our future... You are the backbone of this country." - RNC speech (Aug. 25, 2020).
'You Make the United States of America What It Is'
You are the people who continue to make the United States of America what it is, and who have the incredible responsibility of preparing our future generations to leave everything better than they found it." - statement on Capitol riots (Jan. 11, 2021).
You're the people who continue to make the United States of America what it is. And who have the incredible responsibility of preparing future generations to make everything better than when they found it." - RNC speech (Aug. 25, 2020).
'Our Country's Strength and Character'
"Our country's strength and character have revealed themselves in the communities that have been impacted by natural disasters and throughout this terrible pandemic that has affected all of us. The common thread in all of these challenging situations is American's unwavering resolve to help one another. Your compassion has shown the true spirit of our country." - statement on Capitol riots (Jan. 11, 2021).
"More profound and sadly unavoidable examples of our country's strength and character have appeared in the communities that have been impacted by natural disasters... The common thread in all of these challenging situations is the resolve to help one another." - RNC speech (Aug. 25, 2020).
This is not the first time, Melania has been accused of plagiarism. In 2016, she faced accusations of plagiarizing parts of that year's RNC speech from former First Lady Michelle Obama's 2008 address at the DNC.
