What Donald Trump Jr.'s Ex-Wife Vanessa Really Used To Do For A Living
Vanessa Trump (née Haydon) made headlines in March 2018 when she filed for divorce from her husband, Donald Trump Jr. "We will always have tremendous respect for each other and our families. We have five beautiful children together and they remain our top priority. We ask for your privacy during this time," they said in a joint statement to Page Six.
The story goes that in 2003, after not one but two extremely awkward introductions by none other than Donald Jr.'s dad, Donald Trump, and a third organic introduction by way of a mutual friend, Donald Jr. and Vanessa finally hit it off. "We talked for an hour," she later dished about that third and final intro, per The New York Times. Then in 2004, Donald Jr. got down on one knee and popped the question ... in a staged photo op ... in front of a jewelry store in New Jersey ... with a $100,000 engagement ring he got for free. Even Donald Jr.'s father and namesake appeared to be annoyed by the charade at the time, telling television host Larry King that he "wasn't thrilled," with the stunt. YIKES.
Fortunately for Donald Jr., it appeared that his bride-to-be was unbothered by the complimentary ring, and on November 12, 2005, she said "I do" in a lavish ceremony at her father-in-law's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, per People. But what exactly did Vanessa Trump do for a living prior to marrying Donald Jr.? The answer just might surprise you.
Vanessa Trump worked as a model, actor, and designer
Keeping it in the family!
As it turns out, prior to marrying into the famous Trump family, Vanessa Trump worked as a model for Wilhelmina Models — a gig that some might argue came her way due to the fact that her mother, Bonnie Kay Haydon, ran her very own modeling agency aptly dubbed Kay Models, per Elite Daily. (Nepo babies, UNITE!) It should be noted, however, that she didn't stop there. It's also reported that Vanessa gave acting a try as well, starring in the Nancy Meyers movie, "Something's Gotta Give." According to The Cut, her role in the popular film starring acting giants Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton was minimal, to say the least, with a whopping 20 seconds of screen time. Nevertheless, it was enough to give her an acting credit on her IMDb page.
But that's not all. Per Romper, Vanessa Trump flexed her design skills with a line of handbags she created herself. "We wanted to create something that was upscale and outstanding, yet very functional," she told Joonbug in 2012 (via Pop Culture) about her foray into the world of accessory design. "I wanted to design something that I would like to wear. I also know what it's like to be a busy mom on the go," she added. However, following her high-profile marriage and subsequent divorce from Donald Trump Jr., it appears that she was eager to take a step away from the professional world.
Vanessa Trump works as full-time mom
Vanessa Trump now works as a full-time mother of five!
Even prior to her divorce, she was hailed as a mothering "machine" by her then-sister-in-law, Ivanka Trump. "She can take all of [my children] and not even notice. She has five children and she's Wonder Woman to me," Ivanka Trump boasted to People about her sister-in-law's uncanny ability to wrangle a gaggle of children. "She can be taking care of them all simultaneously, each pulling on her and have direct meaningful connections with each of them at one time. It's remarkable," Ivanka added.
Still, Vanessa's decision to forego a job that pays a salary while also being a single mother of five left many crunching numbers and scratching their heads. The confusion only mounted once it was clear that Vanessa had sought out an uncontested divorce, as reported by Page Six, signaling that she wouldn't be duking it out over finances or custody of the couple's children. But have no fear — for Vanessa Trump, it was all about Rao's marinara sauce. As reported by Page Six, she secured a significant sum of inheritance after an investment her father made into the business paid back more than 400 times his $1 million investment. It's reported that her dad owned a 30% stake in the business and in 2017 the company sold for a whopping $415 million. Cha-ching!