Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
The First Lady’s office has responded to accusations that Melania Trump’s “Be Best” initiative pamphlet plagiarized the Federal Trade Commission, saying that the initiative is “helping the FTC distribute this booklet,” in a statement made Tuesday. “After giving a strong speech that was met with a standing ovation and positive feedback, the focus from opposition media has been on an educational booklet...produced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2009,” the statement read. “Mrs. Trump agreed to add Be Best branding and distribute the booklet in an effort to use her platform to amplify the positive message within. As she said in yesterday’s speech, she is going to use Be Best to promote people and organizations to encourage conversation and replication.” The statement continued to take aim at the media, saying that they chose to “lob baseless accusations towards the First Lady and her new initiatives.” Trump was also accused of plagiarizing her speech at the Republican National Convention by allegedly pulling phrases and text from a Michelle Obama speech.