Model Melanie Marden Defends ‘Brave’ Nude Portrayal of Melania Trump: ‘Opportunity to Empower Women’

Model Melanie Marden praised herself for her “brave” decision to film a nude scene depicting First Lady Melania Trump stripping in the Oval Office in an interview released Thursday.

Rapper T.I.’s controversial video features Marden taking off an “I Don’t Really Care. Do U?” jacket, popularized by President Donald Trump’s wife Melania, then mounting the Resolute Desk dressed only in high heels. “It was an opportunity for me to step right outside my comfort zone and play the first lady — yes, naked, which I’ve never done before… I was brave,” Marden told Inside Edition.

She responded to complaints that the video could be interpreted as “bullying” Mrs. Trump, saying the “first lady’s husband does a lot of bullying himself.”

“So they’ve got some thick skin,” she added. “If I was insulting her and degrading her, then it would be one thing, but I don’t think I was.”

Marden also previewed a second video mocking the first lady, saying “God bless America. And Russia. And the Trumps,” while imitating Melania Trump’s accent.

The model played First Lady Melania Trump in a video recently released by T.I., stripping her clothes off for him.

T.I. released this video, captioned “Dear 45, I ain’t Kanye,” after he went on an angry rant against rap star Kanye West for his support of President Trump.

“This is the most repulsive, disgraceful, Embarrassing act of desperation & auctioning off of one’s soul to gain power I’ve ever seen,” the “Live Your Life” rapper said.

Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s press secretary, responded to the video by calling it “disgusting” and suggesting a boycott of T.I.’s music.

Marden responded to some of the backlash in an Instagram post this week, saying that her decision to appear in the video was somehow an “opportunity to empower women.”

View this post on Instagram

Do you ❤️ Wow, I don’t usually post about haters but I need to, wow!!! This weekend I experienced this with my latest post of TI’s @troubleman31 new teaser of his music video – where I was hired (as an actress) not a stripper to portray Melania Trump @flotus It was a creative choice for me, and also an opportunity to empower women. I stand firmly in my decision to share all of myself in this role. I wanted to be brave, be fearless and for the first time in my life do a role that required nudity. The body is nothing to be ashamed of. In this time where women are finally speaking up about being victimized I felt good about being a strong enough woman to portray a nude First Lady. It was a hard decision for me but I’m proud of myself for being so brave. I send love to all the people who called me names and made accusations or delivered hurtful insults. These are clearly deep wounds inside of you. That have nothing to do with me. For that I am sad and wish you much healing. 💞🙏 To all the political people threatening me, I remind you this is a music video ~ Relax! I am an actress who played the role of #nakedMelania just like when @alecbaldwininsta Portrays Trump on @nbcsnl SNL. So now I start my week wishing you all the best and remember if you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing at all ❤️ Happy Monday.

A post shared by 💋Melanie Marden💋 (@officialmelaniemarden) on Oct 15, 2018 at 7:26am PDT

“It was a hard decision for me but I’m proud of myself for being so brave,” she also wrote.

Marden has also posted several behind-the-scenes snaps of a photoshoot apparently related to the music video, tagged #NakedMelania — one of which encouraged her followers to register to vote in California.

The establishment media, as always, didn’t take any opportunity to defend the first lady from the humiliating treatment.

Though many of CNN’s personalities jumped at the opportunity to defend porn star Stormy Daniels from a jab from President Trump, the network was almost silent about Melania’s sexist treatment from T.I.