'I tried not to laugh': former aide shreds Melania for Mother's Day jewelry cash-grab

Melania Trump's former aide is trying not to laugh about the former First Lady's decision to hawk "ugly" $245 Mother's Day necklaces, she said Monday night.

Stephanie Grisham made this declaration on CNN Monday when asked if she knew what Melania Trump might be raising money for with the necklace purportedly designed by the former First Lady.

"Nothing on the website suggests that the money raised is going to charity or anything like that," asked Erin Burnett. "Do you have any sense what she could be selling the jewelry for? Is this just money for herself? ...To raise money for the legal defense?"

"I tried not to laugh at the thought that she would be raising money for his defense," Grisham replied. "That's not going to be it."

Grisham argued Melania's timing — which coincides with the first week of Trump's criminal hush money trial on charges he falsified business records to pay for a porn star's silence — was not optimal.

"Had I been advising her, I would have said a couple of things," Grisham said. "Number one, this is the first day of your husband's criminal trial and you're going to hawk some jewelry? Probably not a very good look."

Then Grisham doubled back to the point raised by Burnett.

"And then yeah, I would have at least said, 'Hey, are we going to give this to some kind of an, an initiative for children?" Grisham said. Another inspiration might have been the recent passing of Melania's mother, Grisham argued.

"Whether it's Alzheimer's or cancer, for some proceeds to go to," Grisham said. "But instead it just says, 'Here you go, buy this for $245."

The necklace, called “Her Love & Gratitude,” became available for purchase on the former first lady’s website and boasts a flower pendant, adjustable chain and an NFT described as a "limited-edition digital collectible."

The necklace can be customizable by engraving names, initials or significant dates.

“Being a mother is one of the most important roles in life," Melania states in the bauble buildup. "For this Mother’s Day, I have designed the ‘Her Love & Gratitude’ necklace to express immense gratitude and honor all mothers."

Grisham also countered Burnett's argument that Melania finds Trump's hush money trial "disgusting."

"She would say something," Grisham said. "Melania Trump absolutely does what she wants to do and if she felt this was a disgrace, she would say something."

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