Photos : Melania Trump's life in photos: From her time in Slovenia to becoming of the most famous women in the world
. Raised in the quiet town of Sevnica, her early years were a far cry from the glamour and spotlight that would come later.
Even then, Melania had dreams bigger than her surroundings...
Melania's parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, were a working-class couple. Viktor worked as a chauffeur and car salesman, while Amalija was a patternmaker in the fashion industry.
This would later shape her own interests…
Sisterly Bonds Melania's older sister, Ines Knauss, is a designer based in New York. The two remain close and reportedly live near one another.
She also has a little-known brother but he is never talked about…
Melania has never acknowledged Denis Cigelnjak, who claims to be her half-brother. Her father never recognized him legally.
A family mystery that remains unresolved...
According to her childhood friend Mirjana Jelancic, Melania Knauss always dreamed big, and was a straight-A student. She told the Associated Press:
‘We would never hear her swear of say anything bad to anyone. She was an excellent student, very organized, disciplined, with very decent manners.’
And it didn’t take long for the world to notice her potential...
In 1994, Melania moved to Paris to pursue her career. She shared an apartment with Victoria Silvstedt, Miss World Sweden 1993.
But her next move would take her far beyond the runways of Europe...
In 1994, Melania moved to Paris to pursue her career. She shared an apartment with Victoria Silvstedt, Miss World Sweden 1993.
But her next move would take her far beyond the runways of Europe.
Already fluent in Slovenian, Melania mastered multiple languages during her modeling days: English, French, German, and Italian. Her polished image wasn’t just about looks—she had the brains to match.
And she was about to put all of it to use in the city that never sleeps...
Peter Butoln, another former boyfriend, called Melania his ‘first love.’ They met when she moved to Ljubljana at 17. Speaking about Melania, Peter told Inside Edition: ‘I saw her in a crowd of girls and she was the most beautiful girl. She was very calm, very peaceful, very modest.’
Very little is known about Melania Trump's love life before Donald. However there are a few men claiming to have been in a relationship with the First Lady.
One of Melania's alleged first loves recalled seeing her walking down a street and being captivated. They reconnected in the U.S., but she spoke to him in English, not Slovenian. The man recalled:
‘I asked her: "did you forget that you are Slovenian?" She told me she spent her time travelling between New York and Fort Lauderdale in Florida and that she would never go back to Slovenia.’
Had she already left her old life behind?
n 1996, Melania moved to New York and adopted the name Melania Knauss. The Big Apple would change her life forever.
Because this is where she met a certain real estate tycoon...
Melania met Donald Trump in 1998 at a Manhattan party. He was with another woman but still asked for her number. She refused, and asked for his instead. She recounted:
‘He wanted my number, but he was with a date, so of course I didn’t give it to him. I said, ‘I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you’.'
A bold move that would lead to a very public romance...
Melania Knauss and Donald Trump dated for two years before a brief split in 2000. The businessman announced their break-up in January, calling her a ‘terrific woman’, and they got back together the next month. The reason behind their break-up remains unknown.
And their story continued…
Melania Knauss and Donald Trump got engaged in 2004. They attended the Met Gala, during which the businessman proposed. Speaking to the New York Post, the model explained:
‘It was a great surprise. We are very happy together.’
Next came the wedding of the year...
The couple tied the knot in a lavish private ceremony at Mar-a-Lago in 2005. The honeymoon? Also spent at the luxury estate.
But this wasn't the biggest step of their relationship…
One short year after their wedding, Melania Trump gave birth to her son Barron. In an interview with Larry King, Donald Trump explained:
‘There’s nothing like a good marriage, and there’s nothing like having children. I have four great children. If you have the money, having children is great. Now, I know Melania, I’m not going to be doing the diapers. I’m not going to be making the food. I may never see the kids, frankly. No. She will be an unbelievable mother. I’ll be good father, but I’ll be, you know, doing my deals.’
Melania's role completely transformed and she became the protective mother we know her to be today. In fact, even when she was First Lady, Barron always came first.
Since they first married, Donald Trump's life has been filled with both success and failure. He became President in 2016, lost his second term in 2020, was dragged to court on multiple accusations, and even found guilty of some. Despite everything, Trump managed to reclaim the White House when he was voted President once again in 2024.
Through all of it, Melania remained by his side, whether through her rare public appearances, or while staying in the shadows.
That being said, Melania is certainly a powerhouse in her own right and has built an empire that makes her a lot of money as well.
Melania Trump is rumoured to have graduated college with a degree in architecture and design. While this claim remains unverified, it should be noted that many Trump properties have been remodelled by the First Lady.
But that's not exactly how she makes her money…
Before meeting Trump, Melania made her own money as a successful model. Today, her net worth is estimated at $50 million.
And she hasn't stopped at modeling!
Melania launched a jewelry line and a skincare brand, and later ventured into NFTs. Her brand earns her up to $50,000 a year in royalties.
That's not all…
Despite owning a lavish penthouse, Melania bought a modest one-bedroom apartment in Trump Tower in 2016. It's believed to be her private reading space.
As part of her role as First Lady, Melania Trump got involved with several charities, such as the Breast Cancer foundation and the Red Cross.
In 2016 she took on a new role, being the First Lady of the United States. She had to return to that role in 2025. The position hasn't been easy with all eyes on Mrs. Trump. Here are a few scandals, rumours and controversies that have plagued her over the past few years.
During a 2018 trip to Nairobi, Melania wore an all-white outfit that many said resembled colonial garb. The fashion choice sparked backlash.
And it wasn’t her last brush with controversy...
That same year, Melania visited detained children wearing a Zara jacket that read, 'I don’t really care, do U?' The nation was stunned.
Was it a statement—or just a bad choice?
In 1997, Melania posed nude for the French magazine Max. Though the photos resurfaced during her husband's campaign, she remained unapologetic.
‘The photos were artistic and tasteful, and posing nude in the fashion world is commonplace and hardly scandalous.’
She called them "artistic" – but the controversy was far from over.
Observers were quick to notice the couple rarely shows affection in public. Donald Trump was often seen reaching for his wife's hand, and she swatted him away, causing instant online jokes.
Many have been speculating: is this a real love story? Or just a political partnership
The White House traditionally shows off massive Christmas decorations, which Americans usually love. However, a secret recording reportedly revealed she disliked the tradition, and she complained about having to host and participate in the celebrations.
Melania Trump rarely gives speeches, but when she does, observers are quick to criticise. She has been accused of plagiarizing Michelle Obama's 2008 Democratic National Convention speech. She has also been accused of hypocrisy while speaking about diversity, after publicly questioning Barack Obama's nationality.
She's also been accused of one other thing…
Several former employees have accused Melania Trump of being self-centered. For example, during the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, she was seen posing for a photoshoot at the White House.
