The American President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump enjoy unequalled popularity world over. Their emergence upon the world scene has shaken the fabric of international politics. Donald J. Trump is the very definition of the American success story. Throughout his life he has continually set the standards of business and entrepreneurial excellence, especially with his interests in real estate, sports, and entertainment. Likewise, his entry into politics and public service resulted in the Presidential victory in, miraculously, his first ever run for office.
The First Lady of the United States Melania Trump was born on April 26, 1970 in Slovenia. Melania Knavs began her modeling career at the age of sixteen. She would pursue a degree at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, but paused her studies to advance her modeling career in Milan and Paris before moving to New York in 1996.
At the time Melania Knavs came to New York little did the 26-year-old know, she would soon cross paths with the famous real estate mogul Donald Trump. Although she was wary at first of entering in a relationship with Trump considering his reputation as a womanizer, Knavs fell in love with “a real man.” Seven years later, they married. Today, she is the first lady of the United States.
Trump met Melania at a party during New York’s Fashion Week in September 1998. He was 52; she was 28. After seeing Melania for the first time, Trump said he “went crazy.” He asked for her number, but she asked for his number instead. Melania said she felt an immediate connection. “It was great chemistry and energy. We had a great time,” she said this during an interview in 2005. “We started to talk and something was there right away.”
The two started dating soon after they met. Melania reportedly struggled with trust issues in the beginning, according to one of her former roommates in New York. In April 2004, after dating Melania on and off for more than five years, Trump proposed to her with a 15-karat, $1.5 million diamond ring. She said yes.
After his first two marriages to Ivana Trump and Marla Maples, Trump apparently welcomed Melania’s more low-maintenance demeanor. The two were content giving each other space. “I’m not a nagging wife,” she has said. Trump later told the press that his years with Melania for some reasons have been his most successful. And that it has something to do with her personality. Finally, the wedding took place on January 22, 2005, in Palm Beach, Florida, at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea. By then, Melania was 34 and Trump was 58.
A year laterin March 2006, Melania gave birth to a son, Barron William Trump. During an interview in 2005, Trump described his relationship as stress-free: “We literally have never had an argument. We just are very compatible. In another interview with Stern in 2007, while complimenting his wife Trump said most parenting responsibilities fall on his wife. “Melania is a wonderful mother,” he said. “She takes care of the baby and I pay all of the costs.”
As a model, Melania has appeared in high profile ad campaigns and worked with some of the top photographers in the fashion industry, including Patrick Demarchelier, Helmut Newton, Arthur Elgort, Ellen Von Unwerth, Peter Arnell, Antoine Verglas and Mario Testino. She has graced the covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, British GQ, Ocean Drive, Avenue, In Style, and New York Magazine. Her major layouts include the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Allure, Vogue, Self, Glamour, Vanity Fair, and Elle. In addition, Melania has appeared in numerous television commercials and television programs, including co-hosting The View with Barbara Walters.
With a penchant and passion for the arts, architecture, design, fashion and beauty, Melania has thrived on the cultural diversification of New York City. This passion can only be surpassed by her dedication to helping others, and her generosity has been noted.
She was Honorary Chairwoman for Martha Graham Dance Company in April 2005, is an active member of the Police Athletic League which honored her with Woman of The Year 2006, has been an Honorary Chairwoman for The Boy’s Club of New York for five consecutive years, and in 2005 The American Red Cross awarded her with Goodwill Ambassador which she has proudly served for four years.
In April of 2008, she was asked by Love Our Children USA and NASDAQ to participate in the Fifth Annual National Love Our Children Day and the beginning of National Child Abuse Prevention month by ringing the closing bell at NASDAQ.
In 2010, Melania was the Chairwoman for The American Heart Association which raised $1.7 Million for research. Melania’s philanthropic interests represent her humanitarian side, and she remains an indefatigable and dedicated New Yorker.
After Trump became the President, Melania and Barron did not immediately move into the White House, but remained at Trump Tower until the end of the 2016–2017 school year. Melania and Barron moved to the White House on June 11, 2017.
Net Worth
Following in her husband’s footsteps, Trump has shifted her focus to entrepreneurial efforts. In 2010, she launched her ‘Melania Timepieces & Jewelry’ collection on QVC. She also had a caviar skincare line ‘Melania by Melania Trump,’ which never got off the ground due to backend business troubles reportedly beyond her control, according to Racked.
While Trump hasn’t been too focused on business lately, she’s still bringing in some money. In February, an Associated Press investigation found she was listed in New York Filings as the CEO of Melania Marks Accessories Member Corp, which is the holding company of Melania Marks Accessories LLC. Both companies are still active and brought in between $15,000 to $50,000 in royalties last year, according to the Trumps’ May 2016 financial disclosure filing. An additional company, Melania LLC, is also active, but it was reported as producing less than $200 and having a total value less than $1,000.
In September 2016, zTrump filed a libel lawsuit against the Daily Mail after the newspaper published an article claiming she had previously worked as an escort. It was dismissed by a judge in February 2017, but she re-filed the $150 million lawsuit in New York, claiming the article ruined her “unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as an extremely famous and well-known person,” to launch multiple product lines, including apparel, accessories, jewelry, cosmetics, hair care and fragrance.
Other Projects
In 2010, Melania Trump launched a jewelry line, as well as a skincare line. She has appeared in an Aflac commercial, co-hosted on The View, and appeared on her husband’s NBC reality show, Celebrity Apprentice.
Melange Team.