Melania Trump says the press are ‘dream killers’ who want to ‘cancel’ her

Former First Lady Melania Trump released a scathing statement Friday in response to reports that alleged she was raising money for a charity that didn’t exist.  

‘Those who attack my initiatives and create the appearance of impropriety are quite literally dream killers,’ she said. ‘They have canceled the hopes and dreams of children by trying to cancel me.’ 

On Saturday, The New York Times reported that Trump was selling tickets for an April ‘Tulips and Topiaries High Tea’ event in Naples, Florida, where an unspecified amount of money would go toward ‘Fostering the Future.’

The former first lady said the media’s false reporting was preventing her from helping children. ‘They have canceled the hopes and dreams of children by trying to cancel me,’ she said

The statement blasts the media and clarifies that money being raised at a forthcoming Tulips and Topiaries High Tea event will be going toward the charity Gen Justice 

Florida law requires organizations that receive charitable contributions to register with the government – and no registration was found for either ‘Fostering the Future’ or ‘Be Best,’ Trump’s children’s initiative she started while in the White House. 

In her statement Friday, the former first lady said she didn’t operate a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

‘In simple terms, “Fostering the Future” is the name of my platform,’ she explained. ‘Fostering the Future is a Be Best initiative.’ 

She then said that money raised from the Tulips and Topiaries High Tea event – which would ‘support Fostering the Future’ – would go toward the 501(c)(3) Gen Justice. 

‘Gen Justice is compliant with Florida State registration requirements for 501(c)(3) entities,’ the ex-first lady said.  

She also said that she was working on a ‘Fostering the Future’ branded scholarship program with a computer science school founded in Silicon Valley but with a campus in Oklahoma.  

The former first lady said a ‘politically-motivated decision’ by the school’s Board of Directors stopped this process. And the school wouldn’t even accept scholarship funds donated anonymously. 

Then First Lady Melania Trump speaks to children at a Toys for Tots event at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C. in December 2019

Melania Trump waves as she arrives at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. to read a story to children at Christmastime in December 2020

‘Obviously, I was disappointed but not surprised,’ she said. ‘This is not the first time where politics got in the way of my mission to support children.’

As an example, she recounted that a prospective corporate partner had backed out of doing work with her associated with her 2018 trip to Africa. 

‘Supporting children is not, and should never be, part of a political agenda,’ she said. ‘Imagine the opportunities we could create if we all worked together to support our children and committed to helping them fulfill their hopes and dreams.’ 

The former first lady than lashed out at the media. 

‘Despite my actions, the press continues to publish inaccurate, misleading, and outright incorrect articles about my work,’ she said. ‘The media has created a narrative whereby I am trying to act in an illegal or unethical manner.’ 

‘That portrayal is simply untrue and adversely affects the children I hope to support,’ she continued. 

She complained about being ‘canceled’ but said she’s received positive attention from the stories too.  

‘I am humbled by the outpouring of generosity, love, and support I have received after the recent false reporting,’ Trump said. ‘I will continue to support our children and do whatever it takes, remaining positive in the face of negativity.’