Melania Trump says she's the 'most bullied' person in the world

(Image credit: Saul Loeb / Getty Images)

published 11 October 2018

First Lady Melania Trump says she's uniquely qualified to lead a campaign against bullying, as almost nobody has endured more of it than her.

When asked in an interview with ABC News this week what inspired her to launch her anti-bullying initiative Be Best, the first lady pointed to her own experiences, saying, "I could say that I'm the most bullied person in the world." She subsequently changed her statement a bit to say that she's "one of" the most bullied, arguing this is obvious if "you really see what people are saying about me."

Trump launched the Be Best campaign in May 2018, and it's focused in part on fighting cyberbullying. In an August speech, she said that social media can be "destructive and harmful when used incorrectly" and that it's important to teach children "how to conduct themselves safely and in a positive manner in an online setting," per CNN. She received some pushback from critics who argued the president himself doesn't adhere to these principles on his Twitter account.

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Watch a portion of the first lady's interview with ABC below. Brendan Morrow

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.