Melania Trump. | KENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images In Manhattan, Trump fans muster a modest defense of Melania

A group of New Yorkers calling itself “Let’s Move Melania into the White House” announced its formation Thursday afternoon at the Sojourn Restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

The gathering was small and decidedly modest, with fewer than a dozen members of the newly formed group addressing approximately same number of local reporters in a small back room with the tables and chairs shoved up against the walls.


The group, whose organizers say they're private actors with no formal connection to the Donald Trump campaign or family, said that they had taken it upon themselves as Trump supporters to convince voters that Melania Trump would make a wonderful first lady. The Slovenian-born model, who is the candidate's third wife, has found herself at the center of multiple unhelpful campaign storylines, beginning with a convention speech that turns out to have been partially plagiarized from Michelle Obama.

The group's members said their activities would be paid for by private donors and that any money they raised would be directed to the Trump campaign.

At the event, each of the speakers detailed the importance of the position of first lady and talked about why, in their eyes, Melania has the makings of a great one. They also said they wanted to correct some of the prejudices people might have about her.

Sammy Musovic, the owner of the restaurant that hosted the event, said in response to a question about whether or not voters hold Melania's accent against her, “I think that they actually do, and I don’t think that should be the case.”

“The first lady is very important," said Elliot Hurdy. "She’s like a representative of the country. [Melania] will make an unbelievable first lady. I think she will complement Donald Trump. She will make him proud, and she will make the country proud.”

Todd Shapiro, a vice president of the Manhattan Republican Committee — the only speaker to claim any formal involvement with politics — suggested that Melania's looks might actually harm her in the eyes of voters.

“Are we prejudiced because she’s beautiful?" he said. "Are we prejudiced because she has an accent?”

The speakers seemed unprepared to answer questions about some of the controversies the would-be first lady has been involved with in recent weeks.

When asked about reported inconsistencies in Melania's account of her immigration process, Hurdy said, “I understand what you’re saying, but when it comes down to the bottom line …”

He trailed off, then switched to talking about what makes her husband a great candidate for president.

Hurdy said he was skeptical of reports that Melania might have lied about receiving a college degree in Slovenia.

“Listen, I hear a lot of things about a lot of politicians," he said. "Every day it’s another story.”

The speakers touted her professional success.

“She’s a model," said Hurdy. "She has a fashion line on QVC."

After a reporter asked to hear from the women in attendance, Dawn Lincoln, who said she was a friend of Musovic, said, “I hope [Melania] has gender equality in the workplace."

She volunteered that she is herself a Hillary Clinton supporter.

Lincoln said that, regardless, she believes “women in politics have been slighted,” and hoped the advent of Melania Trump as a national political figure might reverse the trend.

Hurdy said that Melania's agenda as first lady would be centered around women and children.

“Everything she is gonna do is gonna help kids, help women,” he said.