Now serving as the First Lady of the United States for a second time, Melania Trump steps back into the global spotlight alongside her husband, President Donald Trump, who just regained the presidency in the 2024 election after his first term from 2017 to 2021.
But what is the story behind Melania Trump, formerly known in Slovenia as Melanija Knavs?
The world knows her as the elegant and reserved former model and businesswoman who became an international figure as both Donald Trump’s wife and America’s First Lady. But beyond her polished public image, Melania’s story is one of remarkable transformation: born Melanija Knavs in the small town of Sevnica, Slovenia, she journeyed from a modest European upbringing to become one of the most recognized women on the global stage.
The world recognizes her as the glamorous former First Lady of the United States and the wife of Donald Trump, the polarizing figure currently vying for the presidency in 2024. But long before she became a global icon, she was Melanija Knavs, a young girl from a small town in Slovenia, far from the glittering towers of New York. Her journey from the picturesque landscapes of Central Europe to the grandeur of the White House is a story of transformation, ambition, and resilience. How did Melanija Knavs, a name once whispered in the quiet corners of Sevnica, become Melania Trump, a name known across continents? As Trump once again sets his sights on the Oval Office, it’s time to revisit the captivating story of the woman by his side, whose own path to power is as intriguing as her husband’s.
Is she going to become the First Lady of the United States for the second time?
Donald Trump is currently running for president again, following his defeat in the 2020 election to Joe Biden. Trump made several statements indicating his interest in seeking the Republican nomination and potentially reclaiming the presidency. His announcements have generated significant attention and speculation within the political landscape, as he remains a polarizing figure in American politics.
The 2024 American presidential election is scheduled for November 5, 2024. It will be the 60th quadrennial presidential election in U.S. history.
Major parties and candidates:
Democratic Party: Kamala Harris is the leading candidate to replace Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election after Biden announced he would not seek re-election.
Republican Party: Donald Trump: The former president has announced his intention to run again, aiming to regain the office he held from 2017 to 2021
The 2024 U.S. presidential election is scheduled for November 5, 2024. The race is expected to be highly competitive, with former President Donald Trump leading the Republican field and President Kamala Harris seeking re-election for the Democrats. Support for both candidates appears to be strong among their respective bases, setting the stage for a tense and closely watched election season.
Vice President Kamala Harris is gaining momentum as a strong contender in the 2024 election, with growing support among key voter demographics. Her rising popularity poses a significant challenge to Donald Trump, as she continues to energize the Democratic base.
Melania Trump’s role in Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign: a quiet but impactful presence
Melania Trump, though often out of the public eye, has recently made several notable appearances as her husband, Donald Trump, campaigns for re-election. In 2024, she has made rare but significant contributions to his campaign, including appearances at events like the Republican National Convention and interviews promoting her memoir. This memoir, released in early October 2024, shares insights into her life and time as First Lady. Though she has been less visible than other political spouses, her occasional involvement continues to draw attention in the media.
Life as a First Lady of the United States
As a First Lady she was focusing on children’s issues through her “Be Best” campaign, which addressed well-being, online safety, and opioid abuse awareness. Known for her elegant fashion choices, she hosted White House events and participated in international trips alongside her husband, engaging in diplomatic and charitable activities. Melania emphasized kindness and compassion in her speeches, advocating for children’s welfare and promoting public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her tenure was marked by a balance of private privacy and public responsibilities, leaving a distinct legacy in the role of First Lady.
Former First Lady Melania Trump sat down with ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ co-host Pete Hegseth to discuss media scrutiny, the opioid crisis, and her initiative to help foster children through ‘Fostering the Future
In this article, we would like to give you a short introduction into Melania Trump’s life and how she was before she married Donald Trump and became the first lady of America.
Who is Melania Trump?
Melania is best known for being the wife of Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, making her the First Lady from January 2017 to January 2021. During her time as First Lady, she focused on initiatives related to children’s well-being, cyberbullying, and opioid abuse through her “Be Best” campaign.
But she has had an impressive life and although she is best known for being the First Lady, she has impressed public by her lifestyle and other projects.
How old is Melania Trump?
Melania Trump was born on 26th of April 1970, in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. She is 54 years old as of 2024. She was born and raised in a small town Sevnica, Slovenia, where she also grew up. She did a lot of travelling before 1990s when she then moved to the United States to pursue a modeling career and later gained U.S. citizenship in 2006.
Her father, Viktor Knavs worked as a car and motorcycle dealer for a state-owned vehicle manufacturer near Novo Mesto in Slovenia. Her mother, Amalija Knavs worked as a patternmaker at the children’s clothing manufacturer in Sevnica. Melania Trump is not an only child, she has an older sister and an older half-brother.
As a young girl, Melania Trump, alongside other children of workers at the children’s clothing manufacturer participated in fashion shows for the brand. This was a turning point for Melania Trump and her love for fashion, design, and modeling was born.
After elementary school, Melania Trump (Knavs at the time), moved to Ljubljana to attend the Secondary School of Design and Photography in Ljubljana. After completing and maintaining her high school education, Melania Trump enrolled in the Faculty of Architecture and Design at the University of Ljubljana, however, she dropped out after one year of studying architecture.
Melania Trump’s modeling career
Melania Trump’s modeling career began at the age of five when she participated and walked the runway for the children’s brand of clothes. We could say fashion was running through Melania’s veins.
However, it wasn’t until Melania Trump turned 16, that she started doing some commercial work when she posed for the legendary Slovenian fashion photographer Stane Jerko, who invited her to pose for him.
At the age of 18, Melania decided to change her last name and give it a more Germanized version. She changed Knavs to Knauss. At the same age, Melania Trump, signed with a modeling agency in Milan. Melania Trump modeled for big names in the fashion industry in both Milan and Paris.
In 1995, Melania was modeling in Milan and it was then that she met Metropolitan Models modeling agency co-owner Paolo Zampolli, who was a friend of her future husband and current US President Donald Trump. Zampolli was in Milan on a business trip where he was scouting models. After Zampolli met the future first lady he urged Melania to travel to the United States, where he said he would like to represent her.
Melania Trump took Zampolli’s offer to represent her in United States and sign her to her modeling agency and decided to move to Manhattan in 1996.
While modeling in the United States, Melania Trump modeled in more explicit photoshoots for magazines like Max. In 2000, Melania posed nude for the big January 2000 edition of GQ magazine, where she appeared on the cover in nothing but reclining fur and diamonds. Melania Trump was shot by the famous photographer Antoine Verglas. On the cover, she posed on Trump’s custom made Boeing 727. GQ editor revealed that Donald actually requested that the photographs of Melania must be delivered to his office.
You are probably wondering if the first lady Melania Trump years after the famous GQ cover shoot regrets taking these photos. On the White House website, she actually listed the cover shoot for GQ as one of her greatest achievements.
After the massive success of her nude cover shoot for GQ magazine, Melania Trump landed many big companies for companies like Camel cigarettes. She also landed a spot in the famous swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated.
Later on, Melania Trump appeared on the covers of Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, Avenue, Vogue, In Style Weddings and more high-fashion magazines. Melania Trump worked with the most famous photographers like Patrick Demarchelier and Helmut Newton.
Melania turns into an entrepreneur
In 2000, Melania Trump officially became a permanent resident of the United States. After achieving success in the fashion industry, gracing the covers of top fashion magazines worldwide, she expanded her brand beyond modeling. Melania launched her own jewelry line, Melania Timepieces, which was sold on QVC, and later introduced the Melania Skin Care Collection, a skincare line available exclusively in high-end department stores across the country. Although both ventures garnered attention, they were discontinued in 2017 as Melania transitioned into her role as First Lady of the United States, shifting her focus to public service and her Be Best initiative.
Path to becoming the first lady of the USA
Melania Knavs meets Donald Trump
Melania Knavs (or Knauss) met her future husband and President Donald Trump in 1998 at a party. Donald Trump was working as a real estate broker at the time. The couple began dating, while Donald Trump was still in the divorce process with his second wife Marla Maples. Their divorce was finalized a year later.
Donald “poped” the question in 2004 and the couple became engaged. Melania Knavs married Donald Trump in 2005 in Palm Beach, Florida. This was and still is Melania’s first marriage, while for Donald Trump it is the third (third time is the charm, right?). The wedding of Melania and Donald Trump was huge as one can only imagine. Many celebrities attended the wedding reception such as Heidi Klum, P. Diddy, Shaquille O’Neal, Hilary, and Bill Clinton, Barbara Walters, and Simon Cowell. Just to name a few …
A year later they welcomed their first son, Barron Trump.
2016 presidential campaign
In 2015 Donald Trump’s presidential campaign was officially launched at Trump Tower. Melania Trump encouraged him and supported his presidential campaign. Unlike most presidential candidates’ wives, Melania Trump decided to take a backseat in her husbands campaign to run for president in 2016. However, she stated that her goal in her husband’s election was to help women and children and to combat cyberbullying in the USA.
Despite a few bumps in the road or speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention, which was plagiarized and copied from Michelle Obama’s speech, a lawsuit against the Daily Mail, General Trust and Reporter she still managed to overcome all the scrutiny while the presidential campaign was running, and didn’t show and signs of slowing down the Trump campaign.
Melania Trump – First Lady of the United States
Donald Trump won the presidential campaign in the US in 2016, which made his wife, Melania, the First Lady of the United States. Melania Trump assumed the role of the first lady of the United States on January 20, 2017, alongside her husband and President Donald Trump.
Did you know Melania Trump is the first lady in over 200 years, who was born outside the US? Furthermore, Melania Trump is also the only American first lady whose native language isn’t English. While modeling in Europe, Melania Trump reportedly learned to speak in five languages, making her the most linguistically gifted first lady in American history (even though her English isn’t really the best, right?).
The most popular Trump in the White house
After a few scandals, which were minor if we compare them to Trump’s tweets. Melania Trump became the most popular Trump in the White House. A February 2019 Fox News poll had the first lady has a 47 % approval rating after two years in the White House, compared to the president’s 43 %. Slovenians have a way to growing on you.
Is she becoming first lady once more?
If Melania Trump becomes First Lady again in 2024, it would be through Donald Trump’s successful presidential bid. As she did in 2016, Melania would support his campaign, likely maintaining a reserved public profile. Should Trump win the election, Melania would assume the role once more, potentially continuing her Be Best initiative and engaging in new projects that reflect her interests in children’s well-being, fashion, and health. Her return to the White House would mark a significant chapter in her journey, blending her previous experience with fresh perspectives.
Melania’s work as the First lady and awareness campaigns
Melania told the news outlets in 2016 what will she be campaigning for if her husband Donald Trump wins the 2016 presidential election. She decided she would use her power to help women and children. Furthermore, her main would be to stop cyberbullying especially between children in the US.
In one of her interviews, she stated: “Our culture has gotten too mean and too rough, especially to children and teenagers. It is never OK when a 12-year-old girl or boy is mocked, bullied, or attacked. It is terrible when that happens on the playground. And it is absolutely unacceptable when it is done by someone with no name hiding on the Internet.”
On May 7, 2018, Melania Trump formally started the Be Best public awareness campaign, which focused on well-being for youth and advocated against cyberbullying and drug use.
On June 17, 2018, Melania Trump was referring to the president Trump administration’s “Zero Tolerance” immigration policy under which children were separated from their parents when she stated that she “hates to see children separated from their families” and wants there to be “successful immigration reform.”
Melania Trump took a major step when she embarked on her first solo international trip in October 2018. The first lady spent the five-day, four-country tour in Africa exploring programs dedicated to childhood well-being.
The first lady Melania Trump also made occasional appearances throughout the novel coronavirus pandemic, either in front of socially distanced reporters or through video messages. She urged the people of the world to use face masks during the epidemic.
Melania Trump’s expensive taste and fashion choices
Many politicians or royal families are no strangers to being thrown under a lot of scrutiny due to making expensive decisions. Melania Trump is no stranger to this. She is known to have an expensive taste especially when it comes to fashion.
Since she had a background in fashion, she had the opportunity to get to know many designers and really develop her style. Melania Trump became a true fashion icon after Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2017. Vogue has compared Melania Trump’s wardrobe as the first lady to that of Jacqueline Kennedy and Nancy Reagan. She closely works with designer Hervé Pierre, who is her stylist, and prefers “strongly tailored pieces” in bold colors and almost exclusively wears high-end designers
Her wedding dress reportedly cost her generous husband Donald a whopping 200,000 dollars. The dress was made by the legendary designer John Gallian, who at the time worked for the house of Christian Dior. YOu can put a price on happiness, right? And you only get married once (not in Donald’s case, but you know, perhaps in Melania’s)
Melania and her son Barron did not move into the White House immediately. They decided to say in New York City until the end of Barron’s school year. This decision came to a hefty price tag for security measures, it was reported they spend around 27 million dollars on security by staying in New York.
A couple of months later, media sources tried to rip Melania’s fashion choice apart, when she wore a $51,500 Dolce & Gabbana jacket to at the annual G-7 summit in Catania, Italy. Critics slammed her for wearing an outfit that cost more than most Americans earn in a year.
Following the “Dolce” incident, Melania Trump “toned down the pricey clothing”, though she still wore a $1,380 Balmain shirt to Michelle Obama’s vegetable garden.
Melania Trump faced another fashion scandal in August when she was spotted wearing sky-high stilettos heading to an area devastated by Hurricane Harvey.
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
In January 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported that during a three-month period where she lived in New York in 2017, she took Air Force jet flights between New York City, Florida, and Washington at a cost of more than $675,000 to taxpayers.
Melania Trump receives her statue in Slovenia
On July 5, 2019, a wooden statue of Melania Trump was unveiled by the Sava River in Rožno, near her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia. The statue, carved from a tree trunk with a chainsaw, was the brainchild of U.S. artist Brad Downey, who commissioned local craftsman Aleš Župevc to bring it to life. The artwork depicts Melania in the iconic blue Ralph Lauren dress she wore during Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration in January 2017. The statue’s reception was mixed, with some locals appreciating the tribute, while others criticized its execution. In 2020, the statue was set on fire by unknown arsonists, but a bronze replica was later installed in its place. To date, Melania Trump has not publicly commented on the statue or its replacement.
