"In working with Melania Trump on her recent First Lady speech, we discussed many people who inspired her and messages she wanted to share with the American people," McIver wrote in a statement. "Over the phone, she read me some passages from Mrs. Obama's speech as examples. I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I did not check Mrs. Obama's speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama."
McIver said she offered to resign from her position, but "Mr. Trump and the Trump family... rejected it."
"Mr. Trump told me that people make innocent mistakes and that we learn and grow from these experiences," she wrote.
Melania Trump said that she wrote the speech "with (as) little help ... as possible."
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