Melania Trump launched a direct attack on her former best friend and the media during a fiery campaign speech.

The first lady targeted Stephanie Winston Wolkoff as she lashed out at the media’s coverage of “idle gossip and palace intrigue” at the White House.

Ms Trump was referencing her falling out with Ms Wolkoff, who wrote a tell-all book about her relationship with her.

Ms Wolkoff has also released audio recordings in which Ms Trump can be heard complaining about having to decorate the White House for Christmas, and referring to Stormy Daniels as a “porn hooker.”

She is now being sued by the US Department of Justice for allegedly breaking a non-discloure agreement when she published her book on the first lady in September.

“The media has chosen to focus on stories of idle gossip and palace intrigue by editorialising real events and policies with their own bias and agendas," said Ms Trump at the event in suburban Philadelphia.

Ms Trump complained that the media attention on Ms Wolkoff had come at the expense of her work for children.

“For instance my initiative Be Best has one main goal, helping children, yet the media have chosen to take attention away from the children and focus only on the negative,” she said.

“But that will not stop me from doing what is right.”

Ms Trump also claimed that the media had turned on her husband when he decided to run as a Republican.

“Before my husband decided to run for president they loved him because they saw the man I see every day, tough, successful and fair," she said.

“A man who sees potential in everyone he meets, no matter their gender, race, religion or sexual orientation, a man with a very big heart and a great sense of humour.

“Donald loved helping people and loves seeing those around him and his country succeed.

“But when he decided to run for president as a Republican the media created a different picture of him, one that I don’t recognise, and treated all his supporters with equal disdain.”