One of the most unexpected speakers at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night was Stephanie Grisham, a former Trump administration official who served as press secretary and chief of staff to Melania Trump.
In her brief address, Grisham emphasized her close ties to Donald Trump, describing herself as a “true believer” and confidant who spent major holidays at Mar-a-Lago and saw Trump off-camera.
Grisham revealed that Trump privately mocked his supporters and showed a lack of empathy, recalling an incident when he was irritated that hospital cameras focused on ICU patients rather than on him. She also shared her frustration with Trump’s disregard for truth, citing his comment that repeated lies could be believed by the public.
Her breaking point came on January 6, 2021, when she tried to persuade Melania Trump to denounce the violence of the Capitol riot, only to be met with a refusal. Grisham resigned that day, unable to continue supporting what she described as “insanity.”
Speaking at the convention, Grisham endorsed Kamala Harris, citing her honesty and respect for the American people. Her speech was met with enthusiastic applause from the Democratic audience but criticized by the Trump campaign, which dismissed her as a “stone-cold loser” suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.
The Trump family has distanced themselves from Grisham since her departure and the publication of her memoir in 2021, which they dismissed as a bid to profit from false claims. Grisham joins other Republicans, like John Giles and Adam Kinzinger, in endorsing Harris over Trump.
