Melania Trump voices support for women’s suffrage monument on the National Mall

Melania Trump is backing congressional lawmakers’ efforts to bring a monument marking the women’s suffrage movement to the National Mall in Washington.

“Wonderful to see bipartisan legislation introduced in the House to help secure a monument on the National Mall,” Trump tweeted to her more than 2 million followers on Tuesday.

A monument, Trump said, would “tell the unique, moving and powerful stories of women throughout American history.”

The former first lady has kept a relatively low profile since exiting the White House in 2021. She’s made a limited number of public appearances and granted few interviews in recent years, typically tweeting out sporadic messages to recognize holidays or to promote her charitable work and line of Christmas ornaments.

Reps. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) and Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.) introduced the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act (H.R. 1318) last week. The legislation, timed to coincide with the beginning of Women’s History Month, would “authorize the location of a monument on the National Mall to commemorate and honor the women’s suffrage movement and the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.”

Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) sponsored a Senate version of the bill last year.

Then-President Donald Trump signed a bill in December 2020 authorizing an outdoor suffragist monument, but securing a location to install it on the National Mall requires an act of Congress.

The move to honor the women’s suffrage movement has found unanimous, bipartisan support among at least one exclusive group. Jill Biden and every former first lady — including Melania Trump, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton and Rosalynn Carter — serve as honorary co-chairs of the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation, which is leading the push for the commemorative work.