Melania Trump Reveals Donald Asked Her to Watch 'Incredible' ISIS Raid Without Security Clearance

Former First Lady Melania Trump recently revealed in her new memoir that she watched a classified military raid in 2019 despite not having security clearance for the same. The operation targeted ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria. Melania shared that her husband, then-President Donald Trump, had invited her to the White House Situation Room. "I was caught off guard when I received a call informing me that the president wanted to see me in the Oval Office," she recalled. "I was directed to join him in the Situation Room— a first and unique experience for me."

The Situation Room is where presidents and top officials monitor sensitive military operations; only those with high-level security clearance are allowed inside. In her book, Melania recounted, "'Watch this incredible action at work,' Donald whispered to me." She added that she joined then-Vice President Mike Pence, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, and other leaders as well.

A key player in the operation was a military dog named Conan. Melania wrote, "Sadly, he sustained some injuries." The Trumps honored Conan at the White House later. "After his recovery, we were honored to welcome him to the White House to present him with a medal for his exceptional courage," she noted. The former First Lady further shared that she asked questions during the raid. "Curious about the specifics, I inquired about the number of troops involved, and the details were explained to me." 

This revelation raises questions about protocol and ethics. Presidential historian Tim Naftali explained that a president can share classified information with the First Lady at their discretion but it's not common practice. Christopher Miller, who served as acting Defense Secretary under Trump, mentioned had also cited the incident in his book. He wrote, "I wondered how it would play in the press if word got out that the First Lady had popped in to watch a major military operation," as per The Independent. 

Nonetheless, Melania detailed, "The mission to eliminate the leader of ISIS was a significant objective, and the successful completion of this operation would be a major accomplishment. This pivotal moment was one that Donald wanted to share with me." The raid ended with Al-Baghdadi's death. Donald later announced, "He died like a dog. He died like a coward. The world is now a much safer place." The Trump White House faced several controversies over security clearances. Trump once reportedly also requested top-secret clearance for his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, despite concerns from intelligence officials.

Melania's memoir drops just as her husband is gearing up to take the White House again in November. The former model also addresses the infamous Capitol 6 attack in the work, supporting her husband's claims about the 2020 election fraud. She wrote, "Many Americans still have doubts about the election to this day. I am not the only person who questions the results," as per The Daily Beast.