White House warns Trump not to attack Michelle Obama

In his latest, and perhaps most vehement, campaign tirade, Donald Trump held his fire when it came to first lady Michelle Obama. And the White House on Thursday advised that Trump continue to steer clear of the president's wife, suggesting that an unprecedented attack on the first lady is a surefire way for the GOP nominee's standing to plummet further.

“I can’t think of a bolder way for Donald Trump to lose even more standing than he already has than by engaging the first lady of the United States,” principal deputy White House press secretary Eric Schultz told reporters during a gaggle aboard Air Force One.


Trump has proven to be a counterpuncher throughout his presidential bid, launching retaliatory attacks at everyone from Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama to Republicans, the media, a Gold Star family and even Heidi Cruz, who's married to Trump’s former GOP rival Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

But Trump has repeatedly pulled his punches when it comes to the first lady, who has spoken out against him while campaigning for Clinton, including earlier Thursday, when she pilloried him in the wake of his comments about sexually assaulting women with impunity in an “Access Hollywood” tape leaked last week.

He did invoke the first lady at Sunday’s presidential debate, though, falsely claiming that Michelle Obama attacked Clinton in television ads.

“I’ve gotten to see some of the most vicious commercials I’ve ever seen of Michelle Obama talking about you, Hillary,” Trump said.

PolitiFact rated Trump’s claim false, noting that the ad he appeared to reference came from a pro-Trump super PAC and that whether her remarks were aimed at Clinton are unclear.

“I think the only reference to the first lady that Donald Trump made was thoroughly debunked by every fact-checker who looked at it,” Schultz said.

