Melania Trump Clarifies 2017 Hand-Slap Incident on the Red Carpet

Melania Trump has finally explained the widely-discussed moment when she was seen slapping her husband, Donald Trump's hand away while walking down the red carpet in May 2017. The former US First Lady has described the action as "a minor, innocent gesture," downplaying the media frenzy that followed the event.

The incident occurred at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, where Melania and Donald Trump were walking closely behind Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara. Footage captured Melania smacking her husband’s hand, sparking widespread media speculation about their relationship.

Now, with Donald Trump running for president again, Melania has addressed the situation in her upcoming memoir. She explained that the red carpet was too narrow to accommodate all four of them walking side by side. In a sample from the book, which was obtained by the New York Times, Melania writes, "The red carpet simply could not accommodate four of us abreast. It was a minor innocent gesture, nothing more."

The incident and other personal reflections are covered in Melania’s new memoir, titled "Melania," which is set to be released on October 8.