Melania Trump’s professional journey, marriage to Donald Trump, and tenure as First Lady | People

• Former first woman Melania Trump has remained an enigmatic determine since Donald Trump entered politics.
• Born in Slovenia, she moved to the US for her modeling profession and grew to become a naturalized citizen.
• She targeted on kids's well being along with her Be Best marketing campaign, however has made few marketing campaign appearances.

Former first woman Melania Trump has remained an enigmatic determine since her husband, former President Donald Trump, launched his political profession.

Born in Slovenia, she moved to the US to pursue modeling and made historical past as the primary naturalized citizen to turn out to be first woman. During her time within the White House, she targeted on kids's well being and well-being along with her Be Best initiative and sparked controversy along with her trend statements.

A self-described “private person,” she has not often campaigned or granted interviews.

Here's a have a look at Melania Trump's life, profession, and marriage to Donald Trump.

Melania Trump's youth and upbringing

Melania Trump, 54, was born Melanija Knavs on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, which was then a part of Yugoslavia. Her mom, Amalija Knavs, labored within the trend business as a patternmaker at a textile manufacturing unit. Her father, Viktor Knavs, was a automotive salesman. She has one sister, Ines Knauss, and a half-brother, Denis Cigelnjak.

Melania Trump has stated that she speaks English, Italian, French, and German as well as to her native Slovenian.

Melania Trump's modeling profession

At 5 toes 11 inches tall, Melania Trump was scouted by photographer Stane Jerko in Slovenia in 1987. She dropped out of structure faculty to pursue modeling, showing on runways in Paris and Milan earlier than shifting to the US on a vacationer visa in 1996.

Melania Trump posed nude for images that appeared in a French version of GQ in 1996. The New York Post resurfaced the images in 2016 throughout Donald Trump's presidential marketing campaign. She additionally posed nude on Donald Trump's Boeing 727 personal airplane for GQ in 2000. That similar yr, she appeared within the swimsuit situation of Sports Illustrated.

In a publish on X in 2024, Melania Trump stated that she stands proudly behind her nude modeling work, calling it a “celebration of the human form.”

“Throughout history, master artists have revered the human shape, evoking profound emotions and admiration,” she stated. “We should honor our bodies and embrace the timeless tradition of using art as a powerful means of self-expression.”

Melania Trump's citizenship and immigration

Melania Trump grew to become a naturalized US citizen in 2006 and is the primary naturalized citizen to serve as first woman of the United States.

Speaking at a naturalization ceremony on the National Archives in a uncommon public look in 2023, she recalled navigating a “labyrinth” of paperwork whereas acquiring her employee visa and changing into a US citizen.

Melania Trump is the second first woman to be born outdoors the US. The first was Louisa Catherine Adams, the spouse of President John Quincy Adams.

When Melania Trump met Donald Trump

Melania and Donald Trump met in 1998 when she was 28 years previous at a celebration thrown by their mutual buddy, Paolo Zampolli. At the time, Donald Trump was separated from his second spouse, Marla Maples. Their divorce was finalized in 1999.

The couple briefly broke up in 2000 however reconciled just a few months later. Donald Trump proposed in 2004 with a 15-carat, $1.5 million engagement ring.

Melania Trump's marriage to Donald Trump

Melania Trump and Donald Trump's marriage ceremony passed off on January 22, 2005.

The ceremony was held on the Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, Florida, and Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago membership hosted the reception. Melania Trump's marriage ceremony gown was designed by Christian Dior and embellished with 1,500 crystals and pearls.

They welcomed a son, Barron Trump, in 2006.

Adult movie star Stormy Daniels stated that she had an affair with Donald Trump after Melania Trump gave beginning in 2006. In the first-ever prison trial of a former US president, Donald Trump was discovered responsible on all 34 counts of falsifying enterprise data to cowl up a $130,000 hush-money fee made to Daniels 11 days earlier than the 2016 election. Donald Trump has denied ever having an affair with Daniels.

After The Wall Street Journal broke the information of the alleged affair in 2018, Melania Trump retreated from public appearances. She canceled a visit to Davos, Switzerland, that she was scheduled to make with Donald Trump and flew to Mar-a-Lago as a substitute. She additionally didn't acknowledge their marriage ceremony anniversary or Valentine's Day on social media as she had in previous years. Upon returning to the White House, the Trumps broke protocol by arriving individually to board Marine One.

Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who was pals with Melania Trump for 15 years, instructed Page Six that silence is the previous first woman's “weapon of choice and her protective armor.”

Melania Trump's time as first woman

Melania Trump largely remained away from the marketing campaign path throughout Donald Trump's 2016 presidential run, however brought on controversy when she appeared to copy components of her speech on the Republican National Convention from Michelle Obama's 2008 Democratic National Convention speech.

She continued to hold a low profile when Donald Trump was elected to the White House, staying behind in New York City with their son, Barron, in order that he may end the varsity yr.

As first woman, Melania Trump spearheaded Be Best, a marketing campaign targeted on selling kids's well being and well-being, combating on-line bullying, and educating communities about opioid habit. She additionally visited Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and Egypt on a solo journey targeted on kids's well being in 2018.

She typically appeared in sun shades that obscured a lot of her face, sparking an unsubstantiated conspiracy principle that she had a physique double who would stand in for her at occasions. Melania Trump's then-spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham, debunked the idea, and Donald Trump slammed studies in regards to the rumors, saying that “fake news” was “only getting more deranged with time!”

Melania Trump often wore outfits that proved controversial. In 2017, she wore a $51,500 Dolce & Gabbana jacket on the G7 Summit in Italy that garnered criticism for its steep price ticket. She was additionally criticized for sporting Manolo Blahnik pumps to board Marine One on her manner to go to websites impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

In 2018, Melania Trump attracted extra controversy when she flew to Texas to go to kids at a authorities immigration facility whereas sporting a Zara jacket that learn “I really don't care, do U?”

Grisham instructed Business Insider on the time, “It's a jacket. There was no hidden message.”

Months later, Melania Trump instructed ABC News that the message was directed at “the left-wing media who are criticizing me,” which she stated might make her the “most bullied person in the world.”

Melania Trump's post-White House life

Donald Trump and Melania Trump skipped President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021 and moved again to Mar-a-Lago. The Palm Beach membership remained her major residence, although she made occasional visits to Trump Tower in New York City.

She attended Donald Trump's presidential marketing campaign launch occasion in 2022, however didn't be part of her husband at most marketing campaign stops and rallies.

Donald Trump addressed Melania Trump's absence on “Meet the Press” in 2023, telling moderator Kristen Welker, “She's a private person, a great person, a very confident person, and she loves our country very much.”

“And honestly, I like to keep her away from it,” he stated of the marketing campaign path. “It's so nasty and so mean.”

In 2023, she attended Rosalynn Carter's funeral together with former first women Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama.

In a uncommon joint look, she accompanied Donald Trump to vote in Florida's 2024 major election.

Melania Trump attended the ultimate night time of the 2024 Republican National Convention and joined Donald Trump onstage after his tackle, however didn't give a speech herself.

She didn't seem within the courtroom throughout Donald Trump's hush-money trial.

Melania Trump's memoir, titled “Melania,” is due to be launched on October 8, 2024.

“As a private person who has often been the subject of public scrutiny and misrepresentation, I feel a responsibility to clarify the facts,” she stated in a publish on X.

Donald Trump and Melania Trump's internet price

Melania Trump's particular person internet price is unclear, however Donald Trump was price an estimated $3.9 billion as of October 2024, in accordance to Forbes.