Melania caught up in copycat scandal

It was meant to be the important moment that saw Melania Trump really embrace her first lady role and promote a campaign tackling cyberbullying – an issue she’s always thrown her support behind.

However when Melania’s hugely anticipated ‘Be Best’ campaign was launched this week with a White House press conference, the POTUS’ wife created buzz – but not for what you’d expect.

While Melanie looked the part as she stepped out with husband Donald to put on an unusual public display of affection, it was the pamphlet that was handed out that raised eyebrows.

The New York Daily News reports the info booklet looked almost identical to one released by the Federal Trade Commission in 2014, titled ‘Chatting with Kids About Being Online’.

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When questioned about the similarities between Melania’s info booklet and the report – which was compiled during Barack Obama’s time in office – the first lady’s representative didn’t deny them.

Instead, the FLOTUS’ spokesperson Stephanie Grisham admitted the White House had repurposed the report because it related to Melania’s campaign.

“It was updated and edited to reflect today’s event and we were happy to be able to provide the children in attendance with such a resource,” she told the Daily News.

According to MSN, the only things that were updated though were a “title, the cover page, a few graphics of smartphones and a subhead that now reads ‘Sexting: Don’t do it’ instead of…’Sexting’.

It’s not the first time Melania’s been accused of plagiarism.

In 2016, the former model took to the stage at a Republican Convention, stirring crowds with a powerful speech that brought the crowd to its feet.

However similarities between her speech and one by Michelle Obama eight years earlier soon saw the Trump campaign team forced to hit out – and place the blame on Hillary Clinton.

“There’s no cribbing of Michelle Obama’s speech,” Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager said at the time.

“I mean, this is, once again, an example of when a woman threatens Hillary Clinton, how she seeks out to demean her and take her down.”

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