On Monday night, Melania Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention to deliver her speech, which almost immediately drew accusations of plagiarism.
Critics pointed out how similar her speech—designed to warm up and humanize her husband, presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump—sounded to First Lady Michelle Obama’s 2008 Democratic National Convention speech, given just prior Barack Obama receiving his presidential nomination. Some noted she lifted entire paragraphs from Obama’s address.
Melania Trump’s #RNCinCLE speech is strikingly similar to Michelle Obama’s 2008 DNC speech https://t.co/RBbR3gic8Jhttps://t.co/7XjGJzVAgX
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) July 19, 2016
While Trump told Today’s Matt Lauer that his wife “wrote it with as little help as possible,” people online aren’t buying it. Instead, they’re offering a glimpse into Melania’s future speech-writing with #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes.
The range of quotes vary, but the hashtag basically comes down to a question of what other famous quotes the possible First Lady could plagiarize.
“It wasn’t easy growing up a black woman in Chicago, but I believe the world is safer for my 2 girls, Sasha & Malia” pic.twitter.com/a8GOaVgMwv
— Joseph Flynn (@chinajoeflynn.bsky.social) (@ChinaJoeFlynn) July 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/FeministaJones/status/755348986337320961
“Work, work, work, work, work, work
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) July 19, 2016
He say me have to
Work, work, work, work, work, work!” #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes
https://twitter.com/agentbizzle/status/755285929305083904
https://twitter.com/beauty_jackson/status/755350887447531520
“Be the change you want to see in the World” – #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes pic.twitter.com/cJJqJ9diTy
— Hugh Evans (@Hughcevans) July 19, 2016
LOL I can’t believe I remembered this movie, but it fits so well. #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes pic.twitter.com/TU228bCXZs
— ☭Comrade Gumbercules ☭ (@gamblor5555) July 19, 2016
“Of course, you don’t have to take MY word for it…” #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes pic.twitter.com/JDlIWK3BPp
— Joseph Gordon-Levitt (@hitRECordJoe) July 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/mockalattee/status/755308327345807360
https://twitter.com/Parker9_/status/755290229456510976
https://twitter.com/michaelcrowley/status/755256679101411329
Jokes aside, some people used #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes to make a much larger point of Melania plagiarizing Obama’s words.
There’s a cosmic irony/horror to Melania Trump’s speech about working hard being stolen from a woman of color.
— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) July 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/cmclymer/status/755291604114477056
And some pointed out that Melania’s inclination to plagiarize says more about the Trumps in general than anything else.
https://twitter.com/FeministaJones/status/755353058301898752
Two of Donald Trump’s children will speak at the RNC Tuesday night, and given Melania’s speech on Monday, theirs will likely be under even greater scrutiny.
