Ex-Melania Trump aide rips decision to 'hawk some jewelry'
An ex-aide to Melania Trump is slamming the former first lady's launch of a jewelry line just as her husband's criminal trial is kicking off, calling it "not a very good look."
"I try not to laugh at the thought that she would be raising money for his defense," Stephanie Grisham, who worked for the first lady and later as Trump White House press secretary, said on CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront" on Monday, when asked if money from the sales of Trump's necklaces could possibly be going towards former President Trump's legal bills.
"That's absolutely not going to be it," Grisham said.
Trump's office announced Sunday that she would be selling a $245 "Her Love & Gratitude" necklace ahead of Mother's Day next month. The idea behind the jewelry sale, Trump said in a statement, was to "express immense gratitude and honor all mothers."
But Grisham, who became a critic of the 45th president after exiting the White House, ripped her former boss for the move.
"She's doing it for herself," Grisham told Burnett.
"Had I been advising her, I would have said a couple of things: No. 1, this is the first day of your husband's criminal trial and you're going to hawk some jewelry. Probably not a very good look," Grisham said.
Donald Trump's first criminal trial began on Monday in New York City. The former president is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He has denied all the charges.
"And then yeah, I would have at least said 'Hey, how are we going to give this to some kind of an initiative for children?" Grisham said.
Noting that Melania Trump's mother, Amalija Knavs, died in January, Grisham said a portion of sales could go to a variety of charitable efforts, "whether it's Alzheimer's, cancer, something. Some proceeds."
"But instead," Grisham said, "it just says, 'Here you go. Buy this for $245.'"