Did Russian Television Really Show Nude Photos of Melania Trump?
In early November 2024, there was quite a buzz on social media about Russian state TV allegedly airing nude photos of Melania Trump soon after her husband, Donald Trump, was declared the winner of the November 5 presidential election.
Many posts speculated this was a power move, suggesting it was Russia’s way of exerting control over Trump.
Users on social media platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter) and others were quick to share their opinions on the matter.
One user expressed, “This is Putin letting Trump know that he is in charge.” In a similar tone, another post read, “The message from Putin is clear: never forget that we own you or we’ll release the Kompromat we have on you.”
Such comments fueled the controversy and led to discussions across various platforms, including YouTube, Reddit, and Facebook.
News outlets like Daily Star and Hindustan Times also caught on to the story. Vox News Albania published an article stating, “Russia’s largest television ‘denigrates’ the First Lady and publishes ’embarrassing’ photos of Melania just 1 day after Trump’s victory.”
The Truth Behind the Story
To get to the bottom of this, we have to understand what exactly was aired. In reality, the images shown were not new or leaked but were widely circulated photos from Melania Trump’s modeling days.
Julia Davis, a Daily Beast columnist, shared the video clips from Russian state TV on her YouTube channel, Russian News Monitor. These clips were part of a political talk show called “60 Minutes” aired on the Russia 1 channel.
The show’s airing on November 7, 2024, became a spectacle that drew international attention. It was noted on Smotrim.ru, an official Russian state TV platform, corroborating the show’s scheduling and content.
What Melania Said About Her Modeling Photos
In the face of renewed attention on these images, Melania Trump addressed the matter earlier in September 2024. She openly spoke about her modeling career and the photos in question.
She remarked, “Why do I stand proudly behind my nude modeling work? The more pressing question is, why has the media chosen to scrutinize my celebration of the human form in a fashion photo shoot?
Are we no longer able to appreciate the beauty of the human body?” Her statement indicated a proud stance on her past work and questioned the motives behind its criticism.
Moreover, Melania continued to advocate for self-expression through art, drawing parallels to historical traditions of depicting the human form. She emphasized the importance of embracing and honoring one’s body as a form of art and self-expression.
Broader Implications and Previous Incidents
This is not the first instance where Russian media stirred discussions involving American political figures. Earlier in 2024, Russian TV was said to have praised U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene as “a real beauty” and “demonstrably heterosexual.”
In 2022, there were controversial claims about Russian state television broadcasting clips from Tucker Carlson’s show, translating segments where he defended Putin.
In light of these past events, the airing of Melania Trump’s modeling photos could be seen as yet another strategic move by Russian media, sparking international debate and speculation about intentions behind such broadcasts.
Ultimately, the claim that Russian state TV aired revealing photos of Melania Trump shortly after the 2024 U.S. presidential election is indeed true.
However, it’s important to recognize that the contents were neither new nor scandalous and were pre-existing images known from her modeling career.
