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Posted: 2020-10-02T03:09:35Z | Updated: 2020-10-02T05:43:33Z

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As her husbands administration was separating migrant families at the US-Mexico border in the summer of 2018, first lady Melania Trump dismissed the gravity of the situation, telling a friend: They said, Oh, what about the children that were separated? Give me a fucking break.

CNN aired her comments reportedly made to Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former friend and aide to the first lady in July 2018 on Thursday.

Also: They said, Oh, what about the children that were separated? Give me a fucking break. Melania Trump in July 2018, when her husbands administration was separating migrant families at the border. https://t.co/eIRkxTaim4

Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) October 2, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Philip Rucker","author_url":"https://twitter.com/PhilipRucker","cache_age":86400,"description":"Also: They said, Oh, what about the children that were separated? Give me a fucking break. 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Also: They said, Oh, what about the children that were separated? Give me a fucking break. Melania Trump in July 2018, when her husbands administration was separating migrant families at the border. https://t.co/eIRkxTaim4

Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) October 2, 2020

In a series of these audio recordings obtained by CNN s Anderson Cooper 360, Melania Trump is heard telling Winston Wolkoff about her husbands family separation policy.

Though she admits that its sad that children are separated from their families, she says the kids are nicely taken care of and provided with some comforts, like beds and cabinets for their belongings.

They didnt have that in their own countries, she tells Winston Wolkoff of the amenities provided to the kids.

Yeah, theyre not with parents, its sad. But when they come here alone or with coyotes or illegally, you know, you need to do something, she adds.

Migrant children have described being held in cages at U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities . Photos captured at these detention centers show children sleeping on thin mattresses on the floor with nothing but foil blankets to protect them.

In the recordings, Melania Trump is also heard railing against her critics who challenged her on this immigration policy.

They say Im complicit. Im the same like him, I support him. I dont say enough. I dont do enough, she tells Winston Wolkoff.

Im working my ass off [doing] Christmas stuff, she continues, referring to her responsibilities as first lady to prepare the White House for the holiday season. Who gives fuck about Christmas stuff and decoration? But I need to do it, right? ... OK, and then I do it and I say that Im working on Christmas planning ... and they said, Oh, what about the children that were separated? Give me a fucking break.

\"The jacket was... a publicity stunt, and it was to garner the attention of the press, to make sure that everyone was aware that Melania was going to the border.\"

Melania Trump's former friend, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, on the infamous \"I really don't care. Do U?\" jacket. pic.twitter.com/sCJAAAcvBf

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"The jacket was... a publicity stunt, and it was to garner the attention of the press, to make sure that everyone was aware that Melania was going to the border."

Melania Trump's former friend, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, on the infamous "I really don't care. Do U?" jacket. pic.twitter.com/sCJAAAcvBf

Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) October 2, 2020

Winston Wolkoff was also asked by host Anderson Cooper about the infamous jacket the first lady wore in June 2018 while boarding a plane to visit migrant children at the southern border.

The author said the jacket which had the phrase I really dont care. Do U? written on the back had been a publicity stunt to garner the attention of the press.

In one of the recordings, Winston Wolkoff is heard asking the first lady why she chose to wear the jacket on that occasion.

Im driving liberals crazy, thats for sure ... and they deserve it, she replies.

A White House spokesperson insisted at the time that there was no hidden message to Trumps fashion choice.

Id hope you guys would want to cover her visit with children today. Its a jacket. ... After todays important visit to Texas, I hope the media isnt going to choose to focus on her wardrobe, said then-White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

In a statement to CNN this week, Grisham, who now serves as the first ladys chief of staff, lambasted Winston Wolkoff for releasing the recordings.

Secretly taping the First Lady and willfully breaking an NDA to publish a salacious book is a clear attempt at relevance. The timing of this continues to be suspect as does this never-ending exercise in self-pity and narcissism, Grisham said.