For the second time in several weeks, First Lady Melania Trump has interposed herself between her husband and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. In July, President Trump admitted she had cautioned him about the Russian strong man’s alleged sincerity regarding the cessation of military hostilities toward neighboring Ukraine. Now, on the heels of mid-August’s Trump/Putin Alaska huddle, news has surfaced that she had the President personally pass along a note to Russia’s leader.
Foxnews.com’s Brooke Singman summarizes:
“First Lady Melania Trump wrote a ‘peace letter’ to Russian President Vladimir Putin telling him ‘it is time’ to protect children and future generations around the globe …which President Trump hand-delivered to the Russian leader before their summit in Alaska.”
In the context of negotiations which could potentially wrap up the bloody Russian/Ukrainian conflict, Melania appealed to the Moscow dictator’s conscience (does he have a functioning one?) urging him to consider the impact his decisions can have on the children of “today’s world”.
“Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation’s rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center,” her missive lyrically began. Continuing in that tone, she mentioned that world-leaders’ “responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few.”
The First Lady then added, in part:
“Mr. Putin … In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone—you serve humanity itself. … [Y]ou, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today”.
Upon initial reports of the somewhat mysterious communique — before its actual text was made public — some media speculated it was primarily addressing the galling atrocity of Ukrainian children who’ve been abducted and forcibly transported to Kremlin-controlled territories (estimates have ranged from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands abducted.) Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha settled on that take, as apparently did that country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, who expressed gratitude to Mrs. Trump on behalf of the stolen kids (“This is a true act of humanism.”).
The actual content of the letter however? Not nearly so specific. Generalized exhortations to consider the welfare of “humanity’s” young ones? Sure enough. But literally hijacked Ukrainian children ruthlessly transplanted into Russian families or camps? Never referenced.
Furthermore, some readers weren’t especially bowled over by the international epistle’s verbiage.
Powerline’s Scott Johnson, for instance, though an avowed Melania enthusiast, wasn’t impressed:
“The authorship of a letter to Vladimir Putin is attributed to Mrs. Trump. I don’t believe it. Whoever wrote it has revived the spirit of John Lennon in his “Imagine” phase. I imagine that AI or a nitwit staffer wrote it.”
And, gotta admit: there’s little denying the gauzy prose employed in the presidential spouse’s message has a Hallmark Card syrupy-ness to it.
But that ain’t the biggest problem with her effort …
Her laudable crusade to make things better for “the children” — launched via her “Be Best” initiative during DJT’s first White House stint — stumbles uncomfortably headlong into her much promoted passion for allowing those same offspring to be killed while they are in the womb if mama so chooses. Back in October of 2024, she released a memoir and widely distributed video ballyhooing “women’s right to choose” (i.e., abortion, i.e., baby-killing).
Does no one see a searing disconnect here between that jut-jawed stance and her recent, saccharine “save-the-children” pleas to the murderous Putin?
To the former KGB Lt. Colonel she gestured poetically about “the dreams” shared by our progeny even though they are “born randomly … [and] dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger”. She stressed governments’ “responsibility to sustain” these vulnerable ones; and the “profound concept … that each generation’s descendants begin their lives with a purity, an innocence.”
Super! So true. Sentiments, indeed, that chime nicely in these carefully crafted statements.
So … how’s about we start by doing everything a civilized people can do to assure these “descendants” get to be born at all? How’s about we apply the First Lady’s admirable notions to children both inside and outsi
Melania’s letter stumps for children’s “silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future.” Silence, of course, takes on a poignantly deeper meaning when considering tiny, invisible, voiceless human beings gestating inside a pregnant woman. Further to that, exactly how are these unborn ones to defy stony-hearted, self-absorbed adults devoted to the legalized extermination of any “future” they might have? Where’s any possible “defiance” of that from them? Shouldn’t that be grown-ups’ obligation?
It’s frankly demoralizing watching the wife of a Republican Chief Executive doing a passable Nancy Pelosi imitation: Political and moral schizophrenia on display; an echo of Democrats, of the abortion-fixated Left. They robotically go on and on about this amorphous cohort labelled “the children” when it comes to welfare benefits, gun control, education, “gender-affirming” twaddle, health care(!), etc. But when the topic gravitates to the lawful “choice” to eliminate them in the womb? Progressives’ solicitude for helpless little people suddenly evaporates.
The mother of Baron Trump similarly wants to man the barricades for children’s overall protections planet-wide — unless, that is, they’re still in the pre-born category. She then switches sides, locking arms with those who insist they’re disposable.
In the face of his empire-restoring megalomania, Devil-Putin obviously regards Ukraine’s young ones disposable as well. Melania Trump — good on her! — let him know she deems that callous calculation unacceptable. But unacceptable child-killing doesn’t stop there. It’s occurring across America — to the grisly tune of approximately one-million unborn deaths per annum — even as she is making sure she gets in a sweetly admonitory word or two to the bloody-minded Russian strong man.
Steve Pauwels is pastor of Church of the King of Derry/Londonderry, NH; managing editor Striker Journal; former radio/podcast host; married, father to three sons, grandfather to four grandkids. Writer, exercise enthusiast, Dunkin’ Donuts and Waffle House fan. Committed to see the Kingdom of God and His Son Jesus Christ impact every part of life.
