FLOTUS slams 'Melania and Me' author Winston Wolkoff: 'It was an attempt to be relevant'

WASHINGTON: First Lady of the United State (FLOTUS) Melania Trump hinting back at her former friend and ex-aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff for publishing a book about their relationship, said that she did it in a bid to remain "relevant".

Speaking publicly for the first time on the matter, Melania, in a post, said: “This is a woman who secretly recorded our phone calls, releasing portions from me that were out of context, then wrote a book of idle gossip trying to distort my character.”

She said that Wolkoff’s “memoir” included blaming her for the latter’s ailing health from an accident she had long ago, and for bad news coverage that she brought upon herself and others.

“Never once looking within at her own dishonest behaviour and all in an attempt to be relevant. These kinds of people only care about their personal agenda—not about helping others,” Melania said.

The first lady did not name Wolkoff in the post, but she refers to a "former contractor" who advised her office.

Criticising the media coverage, she said: “I have most recently found this to be the case as major news outlets eagerly covered salacious claims made by a former contractor who advised my office.”

Once again, outlets chose to focus their coverage on pettiness over my positive work, Melania said, adding that there are plenty of opportunists out there who only care about themselves, and unfortunately seek to self-aggrandize by knowingly taking “advantage of my goodwill”.

“Anyone who is focused on tearing things down for their own gain, after knowing what I stand for, has lost sight of what we are here to accomplish and who we are here to serve,” she added.

First Lady Melania Trump's secretly recorded audiotapes were played on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" in which the first lady voiced her frustrations over being expected to perform official duties and for being criticised over her husband's policy of separating families who illegally crossed the border.

The tape was recorded by Wolkoff — who wrote a book on their relationship titled "Melania and Me" — that had left Melania fuming.