If fate had taken a different turn, Melania Trump might have found herself starring opposite James Bond—her statuesque beauty, captivating accent, and high-fashion flair tailor-made for the silver screen. While her husband rose from real estate mogul and television personality to the pinnacle of global power, Melania has quietly crafted an intriguing narrative of her own. Now, as she contemplates a possible return to the White House—gracefully stepping back into the spotlight in her signature Manolo Blahniks—here are some revealing insights into the life of this enigmatic former First Lady.
Family Roots and Early Life
Born Melanija Knavs in 1970 in Novo Mesto, Slovenia—then part of Yugoslavia—Melania Trump grew up in a modest yet aspirational household. Her father, Viktor Knavs, began his career as a driver before becoming a car salesman, while her mother, Amalija, worked as a patternmaker in the fashion industry, likely planting the seeds of Melania’s own style sensibility. She has one sister, Ines, with whom she remains close, and a half-brother from her father’s earlier relationship—whom, according to reports, she has never met, as her father reportedly refused to acknowledge him.
Early Interests and Talents
From a young age, Melania displayed a creative flair—participating in local fashion shows and developing skills in sewing and design, likely influenced by her mother’s work in fashion. But her talents weren’t limited to the artistic realm; she was also academically gifted and earned the role of treasurer at her school, reflecting both intellect and responsibility from an early age.
Modeling career and nude photoshoots
With her striking features, statuesque 5’11” frame, and poised presence, it was almost inevitable that Melania would be drawn to modeling—a path her son Barron, now an impressive 6’9″, seems to echo in stature. She began modeling at just 16, which soon led to a contract with a Slovenian agency and a burgeoning career across Europe and the United States. Her portfolio quickly expanded to include prestigious fashion publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Sports Illustrated.
During her modeling years, Melania also posed nude in provocative photo shoots for GQ and Max magazines—images that sparked headlines during her time in the public eye. In an eerily prescient moment, she posed as the First Lady in a 1993 fashion editorial—long before that title would become reality.
Early in her modeling career, Melania won a beauty contest that included a film role as part of the prize. However, she turned down the opportunity after reportedly facing sexual harassment from a producer—an early reminder of the challenges women often face in the entertainment industry. Around this time, as she pursued international success, she adapted her surname from Knavs to the more Germanic-sounding Knauss to better appeal to global markets.
The incomplete degree and language skills
Though Melania Trump once claimed to hold a degree in architecture from the University of Ljubljana, a 2016 investigation revealed she left the program after just one year of studying design and architecture. In a quiet correction, references to the degree were later removed from her official White House biography.
Melania has also been credited with speaking as many as six languages—Slovenian, English, French, Serbian, Italian, and German. However, journalist Mary Jordan, in her biography The Art of Her Deal, noted that several acquaintances over the years questioned her fluency, suggesting her grasp of most languages was limited to basic conversational phrases.
First meeting with Trump
Melania met Donald Trump in 1998 at a Manhattan party—back when he was still “just” a high-profile real estate tycoon. The pair began dating while Trump was finalizing his divorce from his second wife, Marla Maples. After several years in the spotlight as a power couple, they got engaged in 2004 and married in a lavish ceremony in 2005—his third marriage, her first (and still going strong).
In 2006, they welcomed their only child together, Barron William Trump. Melania chose his middle name, while Donald picked Barron—a name he had previously used as an alias when speaking anonymously to the press.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump kisses his wife Melania as she introduces him at a campaign rally on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, in Wilmington, N.C. Photo credit: AP /John Bazemore
The Million-Dollar Wedding
Melania and Donald Trump’s 2005 wedding was nothing short of a spectacle—an event dripping in glamour and grandeur. For the ceremony, Melania wore a custom Dior gown designed by John Galliano, famously featured on the cover of Vogue. The masterpiece took 550 hours to create, featured 1,500 hand-sewn crystals, 92 yards of satin, a dramatic 16-foot veil, and weighed over 44 pounds. The estimated cost? More than $200,000.
Following the ceremony, Melania changed into a sleeker Vera Wang dress for the reception. Eschewing a traditional bouquet, she carried ancient family prayer beads as she walked down the aisle to a soprano’s rendition of Ave Maria. Her wedding ring—reportedly worth $1.5 million—featured a dazzling 12-carat diamond.
The celebration unfolded in two parts: a formal ceremony at the historic Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida, followed by a lavish reception at Mar-a-Lago. The ballroom, modeled after Louis XIV’s Versailles and reportedly costing tens of millions to build, was adorned with 10,000 fresh flowers. The star-studded guest list included Bill and Hillary Clinton, Heidi Klum, Shaquille O’Neal, Simon Cowell, Barbara Walters, and P. Diddy.
A Feast Fit for Royalty
Guests at Melania and Donald Trump’s wedding were treated to a Michelin-style menu featuring indulgent delicacies: caviar, shrimp, lobster, steak, and hundreds of bottles of premium Cristal champagne. The five-foot-tall wedding cake weighed 200 pounds and was adorned with 3,000 hand-crafted sugar flowers soaked in Grand Marnier cream—but, in a twist of extravagance, it was never cut or served. Instead, guests enjoyed an elaborate dessert spread and took home individual chocolate truffle cakes as favors. Entertainment was equally opulent: a 46-piece orchestra played throughout the night, while legendary performers Elton John, Tony Bennett, Billy Joel, and Paul Anka took the stage.
Business Ventures and a Speech Gone Viral
Before stepping into the role of First Lady, Melania dabbled in entrepreneurship, launching a jewelry line on QVC and a luxury skincare range infused with caviar. Both ventures faded quickly from the spotlight. But it was her 2016 Republican National Convention speech that drew viral attention—after it was discovered that several passages mirrored Michelle Obama’s 2008 Democratic Convention address. While Melania’s team dismissed it as shared “common words and values,” the internet was quick to brand it a case of blatant copy-paste.
A Very Melania Christmas
As First Lady, Melania unveiled the Be Best initiative, aimed at promoting children’s well-being, online safety, and opioid awareness. Critics, however, found irony in her anti-cyberbullying message given her husband’s combative presence on Twitter.
Her approach to White House Christmas décor also sparked headlines. In 2018, a forest of blood-red Christmas trees led to widespread mockery and horror movie comparisons, but Melania stood firm, calling the look “avant-garde.” Controversy deepened in 2020 when leaked audio revealed her frustration behind the scenes, as she was heard saying, “Who gives a f— about Christmas stuff?”—a moment that quickly went viral and overshadowed her holiday efforts.
The Einstein Visa Debate
In 2001, Melania was granted an EB-1 visa—often dubbed the “Einstein visa”—typically reserved for individuals of extraordinary ability in fields like science, technology, and the arts. Her approval as a fashion model raised eyebrows, given the visa’s elite criteria. Nonetheless, she went on to become a U.S. citizen in 2006, making history as the first naturalized American to become First Lady.
Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump dances accompanied by Melania Trump and Barron Trump, after speaking following early results from the 2024 US presidential election in Palm Beach County Convention Center, in West Palm Beach, Florida, US, November 6, 2024. Photo credit: Reuters/Carlos Barria
The Controversial Jacket, Tennis Pavilion Renovations, and Health Scare
In 2018, Melania sparked widespread controversy when she visited migrant children at a Texas detention center wearing a jacket emblazoned with the words, “I really don’t care, do U?” The moment ignited outrage, with critics questioning her message and the insensitivity of the choice. In 2020, another controversy emerged when she oversaw renovations of the White House tennis pavilion during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, raising questions about the timing and priorities of such a project. Her public appearance during the protests following George Floyd’s death in 2020 also drew attention—she wore a simple black dress, prompting various interpretations of its symbolic meaning.
In addition to the political and public scrutiny, Melania faced a personal health challenge in 2018, when she underwent surgery to remove a benign kidney growth, a procedure that was kept largely private at the time.
The Prenup: A Financial Safety Net
Before her wedding to Donald Trump, Melania signed a comprehensive prenuptial agreement, the details of which were closely guarded. Reports later suggested that the prenup was updated after the birth of their son, Barron, to ensure his inheritance rights were secured. The agreement also reportedly guaranteed that Melania would remain “financially comfortable” in the event of any future family conflicts.
In 2017, following Trump’s election, Melania delayed her and Barron’s move to the White House, citing the desire to keep him in New York until the end of his school year. However, according to The Washington Post journalist Mary Jordan’s book, there were other factors at play—namely, that Melania was renegotiating her prenuptial agreement, tying the move to assurances that Barron’s future status would be on equal footing with Trump’s other children.
