Melania Trump said 'no' when asked if she wanted to call for peace on January 6, sources say

The former first lady Melania Trump refused to issue a plea calling for the January 6 Capital Hill violence to stop even when she was asked by her aide, two sources with knowledge of the events of the day told CNN. They claimed the former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham had sent Trump a text as insurrectionists stormed the United States Capitol building, asking the former model if she wanted to post a tweet condemning the attack. "Do you want to tweet that peaceful protests are the right of every American, but there is no place for lawlessness and violence?" Grisham is said to have texted Trump.

The sources — and revelations made by Grisham in her upcoming book titled I'll Take Your Questions Now — claim Trump responded with a single word: "No." CNN previously reported that the then-first lady was at the White House during the insurrection, overseeing a photoshoot of a carpet she had installed. She kept the photoshoot going even as supporters of her husband, President Donald Trump, tore down barricades and entered the Capitol building. It was only five days after the insurrection, on January 11, that Trump addressed the insurrection in a statement.

"I am disappointed and disheartened with what happened last week," she wrote in the statement, reported ABC News. "I find it shameful that surrounding these tragic events there has been salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me -- from people who are looking to be relevant and have an agenda. This time is solely about healing our country and its citizens. It should not be used for personal gain." According to Politico, in her upcoming book, Grisham also claims Trump skirted multiple requests to set up a traditional inauguration tea with First Lady Jill Biden.

"Grisham, a years-long Trump loyalist who resigned within hours of that text exchange, also writes that she asked Melania a couple times whether she should reach out to JILL BIDEN during the transition to set up the traditional inauguration tea. But instead of setting up the meeting, Melania told her that they should 'see what the West Wing does.' The reason, according to Grisham: Melania, like her husband, believed the election was illegitimate," POLITICO's Daniel Lippman wrote in an email. Grisham, who joined the Trump campaign in 2015 and, also reportedly claims in her book that Trump's response to her text on January 6 "broke" her as she had long defended the former first lady against accusations that she was a Marie Antoinette-type dilettante.

"Now, Grisham writes, she sees Melania like 'the doomed French queen. Dismissive. Defeated. Detached," states Lippman. "Though it shouldn't be a huge surprise that Melania stood by her husband on important questions like the election, Grisham writes in the book that she was 'shocked' to learn that Melania seemed to share DONALD TRUMP's view that the election was rigged. Melania told Grisham that 'something bad happened' and that the election results weren't legitimate. She didn't listen to Grisham when she tried to explain to her that there are small irregularities in all elections but there was no grand conspiracy to unfairly remove Trump from office, according to the book."

The office of Melania Trump addressed Grisham's explosive claims in a statement that said: "The intent behind this book is obvious. It is an attempt to redeem herself after a poor performance as press secretary, failed personal relationships, and unprofessional behavior in the White House. Through mistruth and betrayal, she seeks to gain relevance and money at the expense of Mrs. Trump."