Melania Trump's office has issued a statement in response to the media coverage of her Monday's announcement.
The office of first lady Melania Trump on Tuesday blasted the "opposition media" over its plagiarism allegations. Such reports involved an educational booklet distributed in connection to Trump's 'Be Best' initiative, which was announced on Monday. Called, "Talking With Kids About Being Online," its contents were said to have been created by "First Lady Melania Trump and the Federal Trade Commission," notes The Guardian. While Trump did add a forward, the remainder of the piece was almost identical to the one created during the Obama administration. A Tuesday statement released by the first lady's communications director read, in part, "After giving a strong speech that was met with a standing ovation and positive feedback, the focus from opposition media has been on an educational booklet…produced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2009." "Despite providing countless outlets with ample background, information, and on-the-record comments from the FTC, some media have chosen to take a day meant to promote kindness and positive efforts on behalf of children, to instead lob baseless accusations towards the First Lady and her new initiatives," the statement also noted. According to The Guardian, the wording about the authors of the booklet on the 'Be Best' website has been clarified. It is now described as "a Federal Trade Commission booklet, promoted by First Lady Melania Trump."
