Melanija Knvas, better known as Melania Trump, was born on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, formerly Yugoslavia, Slovenia. She is a Slovene-American former model and businesswoman, and served as the First Lady of the United States from2017 to 2021. She is most famously known to the public as the wife of the 45th President Donald Trump but she is also a self-proclaimed businesswoman who launched her own jewelry line called Melania Timepieces and Jewelry and a caviar-based skincare line called Melania Caviar Complexe C6.
Fast Facts
Full Name:
Melania Trump
Nickname:
The Slovenian Sphinx
Birth date:
April 26, 1970
Age:
54
Zodiac Sign:
Taurus
Height:
5' 11"
Relationship Status:
Married
Net Worth:
$50 million
Background
Melanija Knvas, more commonly known as Melania Trump, was born in Slovenia in 1970 on April 26. Her father, Viktor Knavs, managed a car and motorcycle dealership while her mother, Amalija Ulcnik, worked as a patternmaker for children’s clothing at the children’s clothing manufacturer called Jutranjka in Sevnica. Trump has an older sister, Ines Knauss, who is an artist and her “longtime confidant.” As a young child, Trump, her sister, and a few other children from the factory would put on fashion shows for the people of the town — this is where she was introduced to fashion and modeling.
When Trump was a teenager, she grew up in a two-story housing block in Sevnica with her family, in the Lower Sava Valley, and attended the Secondary School of Design and Photography in the city— this ultimately led to her interest in modeling as she later began working as a fashion model through agencies in Milan, Paris, and New York. She moved to New York in 1996 where she met Donald Trump for the first time at a party — he was married to Ivana Zelníčková Trump at the time.
After moving to New York, Trump became associated with Irene Marie Models and Trump Model Management, and in 2005 she married Donald Trump, giving birth to their son Barron a year later — it is estimated that her wedding dress cost a total of $200,000. Special guests included the Clintons, Billy Joel, Russel Simmons, Mort Zuckerman, Barbara Walters, Heidi Klum, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 2017, Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States, and she served next to him as his First Lady from 2017 to 2021.
Career timeline
Trump is named runner-up for the ‘Look of the Year’ contest that takes place in Ljubljana for “Jana Magazine,” which gains her an international modeling contract.
The Metropolitan Models agency co-owner Paolo Zampolli arranges for Trump to share an apartment with photographer Matthew Atanain in Zeckendorf Towers in Union Square.
Trump appears on the cover of the January 2000 U.K. edition of “GQ” magazine — she poses nude while reclining on an expensive fur aboard Donald Trump’s exclusive Boeing 727.
After allegedly dating since 1999, Donald Trump and Melania announce their engagement.
Trump assumes the role of the First Lady of the United States when her husband is elected as president.
Why We Love Melania Trump
She is polylingual
Trump can speak a multitude of languages including French, German, Italian, Serbian, Slovenian, and English. She can speak more languages than any First Lady before her.
She’s a homebody
Trump’s friends have described her as someone who enjoys her time at home and often leaves early from events. She avoids being the center of attention and prefers relaxation time by herself.
She’s a businesswoman
In addition to her career as the First Lady of the United States, she was also a businesswoman. She launched her own jewelry line in 2010 and a caviar-based skincare line in 2013.
5 Surprising Facts
The second foreign U.S. First Lady
Trump is only the second First Lady of the United States to be born outside of the country.
She has been accused of plagiarism
Trump was first accused of plagiarism in 2016 when she delivered a speech that was nearly identical to Michelle Obama's 2008 speech, which her husband Donald Trump complimented as "absolutely incredible."
She was a nude model in Europe
She posed nude for a French men’s magazine alongside Scandinavian model Emma Eriksson in a bombshell photo set that was obtained by the “New York Post.”
Very little spousal quality time
According to some White House aides, the couple slept in separate beds, operated on different schedules, and spent very little to no time together.
Her wedding dress cost $200,000
Their winter wedding took place in Florida, accompanied by her $200,000 “Dior” dress that took over 1,000 hours to construct.
Melania Trump FAQs
Does Melania Trump have siblings?
Yes. Her siblings are Ines Knauss and Denis Cigelnjak
What nationality is Melania Trump?
Trump is a Slovenian American. She was born in Slovenia and emigrated to the United States.
What is Melania Trump's financial worth?
Her net worth is estimated to be $50 million.
Melania Trump’s birthday dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2025 | April 26 | Saturday |
2026 | April 26 | Sunday |
2027 | April 26 | Monday |
2028 | April 26 | Wednesday |
2029 | April 26 | Thursday |