Melania Trump Biography Melania Trump born Melanija Knavs on April 26, 1970 is a Slovenian-American former fashion model who served as First Lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021 as the wife of Donald Trump, the 45th president. She is notable for being the first naturalized citizen to hold the position, the second foreign-born First Lady after Louisa Adams, and the second Catholic First Lady after Jacqueline Kennedy. Melanija Knavs was born in Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia) and began her modeling career at the age of 16. She later changed her name to Melania Knauss and traveled to Paris and Milan for modeling opportunities. In 1996, she was sponsored by Paolo Zampolli, who facilitated her immigration to the United States. After arriving in Manhattan, Zampolli introduced her to real estate developer Donald Trump in 1998, and they began dating shortly thereafter.
Melania Trump Biography 2024
Melania Trump is a Slovenian–American former fashion model who served as the first lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021 as the wife of Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States.
Born: 26 April 1970 (age 54 years), Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Spouse: Donald Trump (m. 2005)
Children: Barron Trump
Height: 1.8 m
Education: University of Ljubljana
Nationality: American, Slovenian, Yugoslavian
Parents: Amalija Knavs, Viktor Knavs
Melania Trump Biography 2024 Details
Born | Melanija Knavs April 26, 1970 (age 54) Novo Mesto, Slovenia, Yugoslavia |
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Citizenship | Yugoslavia (1970–1991) Slovenia (1991–present) United States (2006–present) |
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Spouse | |
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Children | Barron Trump |
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Parent(s) | Amalija Ulčnik Viktor Knavs |
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Residence | Mar-a-Lago |
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Category | Singers Bio |
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Early Life and Education
Melanija Knavs was born on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, Yugoslavia, now Slovenia. Her father, Viktor Knavs, initially worked as a chauffeur before selling car parts for a state-owned vehicle manufacturer, leveraging connections with the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. Her mother, Amalija, was a patternmaker at a children’s clothing manufacturer called Jutranjka. The family lived in a state-run housing complex in Sevnica and was relatively well-off compared to others in the communist society, often vacationing in Europe.
Melanija participated in fashion shows as a child, inspired by her surroundings and showing a keen interest in fashion from an early age. She often customized her own clothes, learning from her mother. Academically, she excelled and served as the school treasurer. During her teenage years, Melanija moved into a two-story house in Sevnica with her family. Influenced by American culture, she was particularly drawn to fashion, especially after gaining access to American media through CNN International.
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Melania Trump’s Net Worth
Melania Trump, a former fashion model and the third wife of Donald Trump, has an estimated net worth of $50 million. She served as First Lady of the United States during her husband’s presidency from 2017 to 2021. Melania appeared in the 2001 film “Zoolander” and was featured on her husband’s NBC reality series “The Apprentice” from 2004 to 2015. Before moving to the U.S. in 1996, she modeled in Paris and Milan and has graced the covers of numerous magazines, including “Vogue,” “Harper’s Bazaar,” “InStyle,” “Vanity Fair,” and “Glamour.” She faced criticism in 2016 when parts of her speech at the Republican National Convention were found to have been plagiarized from Michelle Obama’s 2008 Democratic Convention speech.
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Melania’s Family Information
| | |
| | Born in 1944, worked as a car dealer, and later managed car dealerships. |
| | Born in 1945, worked as a patternmaker at a children’s clothing company. |
| | Melania’s only sibling, who also moved to New York to be closer to her. |
| | Business mogul, former President of the United States. Married Melania in 2005. |
| | Born on March 20, 2006, and the only child of Donald and Melania. |
Career
Melania began modeling at the age of five and by 16 was working with fashion photographer Stane Jerko and appearing in commercials. At 18, she signed with a modeling agency in Milan and was a runner-up in “Jana Magazine’s” 1992 “Look of the Year” competition. In 1995, she met Paolo Zampolli, co-owner of Metropolitan Models, who offered her representation in the U.S. After moving to Manhattan in 1996, she lived in an apartment arranged by Zampolli. Notably, the French men’s magazine “Max” featured explicit photos of her in January 1997, and she appeared on the cover of “GQ” in January 2000 wearing only diamond jewelry.
In 2010, Melania launched a jewelry collection with QVC called Melania Timepieces & Jewelry and created the Melania Skin Care Collection, although she later lost ties with the manufacturers. A 2016 financial disclosure indicated that her business ventures earned her between $15,000 and $50,000 in royalties that year.
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First Lady of the United States
Melania, often referred to by her Secret Service code name “Muse,” became First Lady on January 20, 2017. She initially remained in Manhattan until June 2017 for her son Barron’s schooling. During her tenure, she had a staff of 11 and was only the second First Lady born outside the U.S. (after Louisa Adams). Her first White House event was an International Women’s Day luncheon in March 2017, where she spoke about gender equality and her experiences as a female immigrant.
Melania’s initiatives included the “Be Best” campaign, which focused on preventing online bullying, although it drew criticism given her husband’s behavior on social media. She organized an April 2018 state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron and took a solo tour of four African countries in October of that year. She also spoke out against the administration’s family separation policy, advocating for compassionate immigration reform.
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Personal Life
Melania met Donald Trump at a party in 1998 and married him on January 22, 2005, in a Christian Dior gown worth $200,000. They welcomed their son, Barron, on March 20, 2006. Melania became a permanent U.S. resident in 2001 and gained citizenship in 2006. In 2018, she underwent treatment for a benign kidney condition.
In February 2017, Melania filed a $150 million lawsuit against the “Daily Mail” for publishing an article that claimed she had worked as an escort during her modeling career. Although she initially sought damages for lost business opportunities, she later amended the lawsuit to focus on emotional distress. The case was settled in April 2017 for $2.9 million after the tabloid retracted its claims.
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Real Estate
In January 2016, Melania purchased a 1-bedroom apartment on the 33rd floor of Trump Tower for $1.5 million. At that time, the Trumps already owned a large penthouse covering the 66th to 68th floors of the building, and it has been speculated that Melania intended the smaller apartment for use as a library.