Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in November 2024.

A Russian state television channel sparked controversy after airing nude photos of Melania Trump during a segment about her husband’s potential return to the White House.

The incident, which occurred on the show 60 Minutes, featured hosts Yevgeny Popov and Olga Skabeyeva as they discussed Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election. In a highly unconventional move, the pair displayed a series of photographs from Melania Trump’s modeling career, including several nude shots from a 2000 GQ magazine spread.

Julia Davis, founder of the Russia Media Monitor watchdog group, shared footage of the segment on X (formerly Twitter), calling attention to the highly unusual broadcast. In her post, she noted: “Meanwhile in Russia: this is how the most watched state TV channel in the country welcomed Melania Trump’s upcoming return to the White House. Olga Skabeeva is trying not to laugh. This was probably her idea.”