Melania Trump’s ‘Unexpected’ Presence in the Situation Room During a Major Military Operation Raised a Few Eyebrows

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

The Donald Trump administration has provided lots of headlines and plenty of surprises since he exited the White House in 2021, but the latest Melania Trump headline is definitely raising eyebrows. A new memoir from former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, Soldier Secretary: Warnings from the Battlefield & the Pentagon about America’s Most Dangerous Enemies, is talking about the former first lady’s presence in the Situation Room during a very delicate military operation.

Miller recalls that Melania sat in to each the U.S. raid on Syria that resulted in the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in October 2019, according to an excerpt obtained by The Hill. “Her presence was unexpected, to say the least,” 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.”

Related story Donald Trump's Reported Reaction to Ivanka Trump's Political Exit Shows How Much He Depended on Her

First ladies aren’t involved in classified missions, so Melania’s participation was one that Donald Trump’s advisers had to handle gingerly. The events that were unfolding were quite graphic, according to Miller, and she even stopped at one point to look “up in horror” as the former president’s aides discussed what was happening. Military members, led by a combat dog called Conan, were able to locate al-Baghdadi, who died by suicide while holding two of his children. The situation was horrific, but Melania suggested a way to spin the complicated mission and draw attention away from al-Baghdadi murdering his kids. 

“You should talk about the dog,” she allegedly told her husband. “Everyone loves dogs.” Conan, who was injured in the raid, was later praised by Donald Trump as a “wonderful” and “talented” pup, who even found himself at the White House in November 2019 to be honored for his bravery. “Conan is a tough cookie,” the former president said at the ceremony. “And nobody is going to mess with Conan.”

Before you go, click here for more Trump family tell-all books.

Related story Donald Trump's Reported Reaction to Ivanka Trump's Political Exit Shows How Much He Depended on Her