Melania Changed Forever Once She Married Donald Trump

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Melania Trump (née Knavs) first met Donald Trump back in 1998. At the time, she was working as a model, and her future husband was well on his way to becoming a billionaire. The two attended a Fashion Week party in New York City, and while Melania was single at the time, Donald actually brought a date to the event. "He wanted my number, but he was with a date, so of course I didn't give it to him," Melania said in a 2016 interview with Harper's Bazaar. "I said, 'I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you.' I wanted to see what kind of number he would give me — if it was a business number, 'What is this? I'm not doing business with you,'" she added. Nevertheless, Melania reached out to Donald a few days later. "I was struck by his energy. He has an amazing sense of vitality," she told the outlet. From that point forward, their love story bloomed.

In 2004, Donald proposed to Melania, and the two married the following year. The wedding took place in Palm Beach, Florida, with a soiree with family and friends held at Donald's Mar-a-Lago estate. More than 300 people are said to have attended the wedding, including celebrities, well-known athletes, and politicians. In the years that followed, the Trumps would have their fair share of ups and downs, but they've stuck together for two decades. One thing is for certain, however, and it's that Melania's life changed forever once she married Donald.

Melania Trump went from being an immigrant — moving to the United States from her home country of Slovenia — to pursue a career in modeling, to marrying one of the wealthiest businessmen in America. "I traveled around the world and had the great modeling career," Melania told People magazine of her life pre-Donald. After becoming Mrs. Donald Trump, Melania became a New York socialite almost overnight. This could very well be the biggest change in Melania's life to date. Surely, she likely didn't see herself living in the lap of luxury, given her upbringing. "I grew up with a beautiful family and had a wonderful childhood. My mother and father taught us the importance of education, hard work and family," she told Tatler of growing up in the small town of Sevnica.

When Donald entered her life, Melania began rubbing elbows with the rich and famous, and, eventually, she moved into the penthouse at Trump Tower in Manhattan, the place she would call home until 2017. The penthouse featured three floors of living space, complete with large windows and decorated in gold and marble, for a sophisticated look. Suffice it to say, life with Donald completely changed the course of Melania's life.

Years after meeting Donald Trump, Melania Trump decided to officially become a U.S. citizen. Back in 2000, when she first came to the States, Melania began applying for a work visa and eventually obtained an EB-1 visa in 2001. She'd spend years of her life studying immigration law in hopes of eventually becoming a U.S. citizen, which she did in 2006, one year after marrying her husband. While speaking at the National Archives in Washington, Melania shared that her journey wasn't easy. "My personal experience of traversing the challenges of the immigration process opened my eyes to the harsh realities people face, including you, who try to become U.S. citizens," she said, according to CNN. "The pathway to citizenship is arduous. My life turned into labyrinth of organizing paperwork," she added. 

Melania passed the citizenship test, which included an English language portion as well as a civics portion, and she also took an oath of allegiance to the U.S. In 2018, Melania's parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, became U.S. citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Knavs had been living in the United States, sponsored by their daughter, before taking the oath of citizenship in New York.

Melania Trump's life would change even more so when she became pregnant with Donald Trump's fifth child. Barron William Trump was born on March 20, 2006, and weighed in at 8.5 pounds. "The love. It's unconditional love. [Being a new mother is] wonderful. Every mother knows this. It's a miracle almost, I could say, that two people can create. It's very, very special," Melania told Palm Beach Daily News (via the Palm Beach Post) after giving birth. "You can watch the baby, every move he makes. It's just amazing. A great, great experience. I was very lucky. I had a beautiful pregnancy. Everyone is healthy and happy."

Melania would dedicate a sizable part of her life (to date) to raising her son. The love she has for Barron is undeniable, and she's not afraid to show it. "She's got a great love of children, she has a wonderful son that she loves probably more than anybody, including me, I hate to say it," Donald said while chatting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in August 2025 (via People). When it came to having more children, Melania said she was "perfectly fine with one," during an interview on "Fox & Friends" (via People). She explained that Donald wanted to have more children, but that their "busy life" kept her from having another baby. "I know how busy he is... and I'm in charge of everything. So that's why. It's just perfect," she stated.

As the years have gone on, Melania Trump's life changed dramatically. Aside from being a wealthy Manhattan wife and a mom, she also became somewhat of a celebrity, thanks to the popularity of her husband. Before he became president, Donald Trump had wild success in real estate, business, and even reality television, with his shows "The Apprentice" and "The Celebrity Apprentice," both of which premiered in 2004. Being on television opened up another world for the couple, (Melania also made several appearances on the shows over the years), who somehow became more famous.

It seems as though Melania's on-camera moments gave her some momentum to launch her own brand. In 2010, she launched a jewelry and timepiece line that was available on QVC. She created the pieces at affordable prices with the everyday woman in mind. "They don't need to ask anybody if they could buy it for themselves. They could go and buy something under $200 and have fun with the jewelry. So that's why I created that, to reach women across the world and spoil them and make them look beautiful and chic," Melania said, according to Hola! In 2013, she launched her own skincare line, Melania Caviar Complexe C6, which was available exclusively at Lord & Taylor. However, things didn't work out with the latter due to a dispute with the manufacturer.

After Donald became president, Melania's line was discontinued. 

When Donald Trump officially decided to run for president back in 2015, his personal life became a prime target for public scrutiny. Aside from the internet constantly nitpicking his marriage to Melania Trump, Donald's affinity towards women became something more. Rumors that he'd acted inappropriately toward women circulated for decades, but they hit a fever pitch in March 2018 when Stormy Daniels filed a lawsuit against him. Daniels claimed that Donald paid her hush money in 2016 to cover up an alleged affair, which Donald denied. Despite Daniels' claims (and the claims of other women), Melania stood by her husband. 

In 2018, Melania spoke out about her husband's alleged affairs and all of the stories that had surfaced about his personal life. "I'm a mother and a first lady, and I have much more important things to think about and to do. It is not concern and focus of mine," the First Lady told ABC News in October 2018 of her husband's rumored infidelities. "It's not always pleasant, of course, but I know what is right and what is wrong and what is true and not true."

Melania went on to assure the public that her marriage was going strong. "We are fine. It's what media speculate, and it's gossip. It's not always correct stuff," she said.

Melania Trump became the First Lady of the United States when Donald Trump first took office in 2017. Melania is only the second foreign-born woman to hold the title, following Louisa Catherine Adams, the wife of President John Quincy Adams, who was born in London in 1775. And believe it or not, she sort of knew that the role was in her future when she and Donald Trump were only dating. During an interview with ABC News in 1999, Melania was asked if she could see herself as first lady, to which she replied "yes," before adding, "I would be very traditional, like Jackie Kennedy and Betty Ford." 

Flash forward to 2017, and Melania would find herself moving into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with her 10-year-old son, Barron Trump. It may have been a big change for the whole family, but it certainly wasn't a surprise. Following her husband's first term, Melania moved to Florida with her family, but found herself back in Washington D.C., after Donald won the 2024 election. "The majority of Americans have entrusted us with this important responsibility," Melania posted on X on November 6, 2024, one day after the election. "We will safeguard the heart of our republic — freedom. I anticipate the citizens of our nation rejoining in commitment to each other and rising above ideology for the sake of individual liberty, economic prosperity, and security. American energy, skill, and initiative will bring together our best minds to propel our nation forward forevermore," she added.

After marrying Donald Trump, Melania Trump quickly learned what it was like to travel with a bodyguard in tow. That became even more important after she gave birth to her son, and it took an even bigger turn after Donald became president. The Secret Service is part of life for the Trumps, as their safety is a prime focus in their daily lives. In fact, after leaving office in 2021, Donald took action to protect his family, according to The Washington Post. The protection order, of sorts, was extended to cover his four adult children and two of their spouses for six months, per the report. Melania will have Secret Service protection for the rest of her life, by law.

Being famous is one thing, but being the First Lady of the United States comes with additional security fears. For example, Trump Tower in Manhattan, the very place that Melania had called home, became a protesters' paradise in recent years. Walking back into the building now, without any kind of security, could prove dangerous for Melania and her son. And, ever since the 2024 assassination attempt on her husband in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the murder of Charlie Kirk in Utah in 2025, it seems that additional protection is more than welcome by the FLOTUS — though she is always aware of the situation at hand. "I have a great team in my detail around me and my husband as well. I think there are some holes — something is going on at the top level," Melania said on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" in October 2024 (via the New York Post).

Melania Trump has never been one to back down from something that she wants. That much has been evident since she was 20-something and determined to work for a better life for herself by moving to America. The same holds true in her marriage as well as in her role as First Lady. One thing that sticks out above the rest is Melania's unwillingness to waver when it comes to the well-being of her son. For example, when Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, Melania delayed her move into the White House so that Barron Trump could wrap up the current school year in New York. Another example has to do with Melania's role as the FLOTUS. While she launched initiatives like the "Be Best" campaign, a campaign focused on children's well-being, online behavior, and opioid abuse awareness, she hasn't made as many public appearances as first ladies before her. 

"She's been unique among modern first ladies," associate professor of communications at Boston University Tammy Vigil told BBC News in January 2025. "She does things the way she wants to do them, as opposed to the way she has to do them. But she fulfils the base expectations," Vigil added. Melania has been almost defiant in the way that she's managed her new position as the president's wife, and it's something that many people feel is admirable. "As an adult, there comes a moment when you become solely responsible for the life you lead. You must take charge, embrace that responsibility, and become the architect of your own future," Melania wrote in her self-titled memoir, "Melania" (via Fox News), which was released in October 2024. 

As we briefly touched on earlier in this article, Melania Trump's marriage to Donald Trump has been plagued by infidelity rumors over the years, and Melania has chosen to stick by her husband. Interestingly, however, there had been some indication that Melania was changing how present she was in her marriage — at least, that's how it seemed. According to CNN, Melania "chose to take a separate motorcade to Andrews Air Force Base to meet her husband at Air Force One for a trip to Florida, rather than walk across the South Lawn of the White House and board the Marine One helicopter," in one example. Even Stephanie Grisham, senior aide to Donald and Melania, wrote about that phase of life in her book, "I'll Take Your Questions Now." She said that she felt as though Melania was unhappy that her husband's alleged affair with Stormy Daniels became headline news.

"I felt that Mrs. Trump was embarrassed, and that she wanted him to feel embarrassed, too. Whether he is capable of that or not, I don't know," Grisham wrote, per CNN. She also addressed the aforementioned motorcade decision, saying, "I received a call from her to let me know that she wanted to drive to Air Force One ahead of her husband. She surprised me, saying, 'I do not want to be like Hillary Clinton, do you understand what I mean? She walked to Marine One holding the hands with her husband after Monica news [sic] and it did not look good,' referring to Monica Lewinsky. I didn't argue."

There was a point in time in Melania Trump's life when she looked at fashion from the sidelines. However, after entering Donald Trump's world, there was a natural fixation on her appearance, which she seemed to embrace. As she became more famous and eventually became a political figure, Melania became a fashion icon. Her style has evolved over the past couple of decades, and she often makes headlines for her style choices.

Melania has attended various events from the Met Gala to two separate inaugural balls, and she's delighted the world with her fashion sense. She's worn a variety of labels, though she does seem to have her favorites. In 2024, for example, WWD reported that Melania had been favoring Michael Kors and Dior. In January 2025, she made headlines for her gown at the inaugural ball, which was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The FLOTUS wore a long, white gown with a black trim design and a black choker accent. Per People magazine, Melania's dress was designed by Hervé Pierre, and it was quite a fashion statement. Though it received mixed reviews, many people thought that Melania looked lovely in her statement piece.

One of the biggest turning points in Melania Trump's life happened in 2024, when someone shot Donald Trump during an outdoor campaign rally. Donald was speaking in front of a crowd when a bullet grazed his ear. Investigators say that 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks climbed on top of the roof of a nearby building and opened fire using an AR-style rifle. Crooks was shot and killed by authorities. The shooting claimed the life of firefighter Corey Comperatore and critically injured two other people who were in the crowd. In the aftermath, Donald stood up, surrounded by Secret Service agents, raised his fist in the air, and yelled, "Fight!" 

Melania recalled these terrifying moments in her memoir. "I watched the chaos unfold: the gunfire, Donald instinctively reaching up to his head, and the immediate response of Secret Service agents shielding him," she wrote, according to BBC News. She also discussed the anxiety that she felt leading up to a phone conversation she had with her husband, who assured her that he was okay. Even after the call, however, Melania was shaken. "Each time we saw Donald's bloodied face, I had to remind myself that I had actually just spoken to him," she recalled.