After the end of Donald Trump's (78) first term, Melania (54), his wife, seemed exhausted. In fact, numerous international media outlets claimed she was happy to stop pretending and no longer felt pressured to stand by the tycoon's side. Thus, between 2021 and this 2024, the Slovenian decided to move to her residence in Mar-A-Lago, in Palm Beach, and later accompany her son Barron to New York, where he attends university.
There, in the Big Apple, Melania lives in a luxurious penthouse, which - according to her social media - she is pleased to call "home". However, she may decide to leave it soon and return with her husband to the White House. Although, according to various tabloids, the new First Lady of the United States would not intend to live again in the well-known presidential residence.
Melania - who received a warm welcome at a Republican rally last October - is trying to support her husband, apparently through her autobiography, where she recounts how she met the man who became the love of her life. Initially, the former model seemed not entirely interested in getting involved with the businessman. But in the end, she fell for his charms.
As told in the pages of her book, Melania arrived in New York at the age of 26. "I had made the decision to test my skills in the American modeling market. There were risks, yes, but I felt a sense of confidence. I knew I could succeed. So I packed up everything I had in my Paris apartment, met with an agent in Milan, said goodbye to my family in Slovenia, and wished me luck in the United States," she recounts in an excerpt published by The Times.
Melania describes her arrival on American soil as an experience that made her "heart beat." However, the real surprise came when she faced, for the first time, luxury and ostentation, in which she would soon be immersed. "My agency sent me a limousine, exuding elegance. I felt an immediate sense of comfort and tranquility. Still, I found the vitality of Manhattan overwhelming... But I knew that was where I needed to be," she mentions.
In the following days, Melania embarked on the mission of making a name for herself in the city and, according to her own words, "her professionalism and punctuality earned her clients" in stores like Bergdorf Goodman and magazines like Glamour. "I was always in front of the camera, and when I had free time, I contacted photographers and attended meetings because I believe that success in this industry is achieved through self-motivation," she states.
Melania also reveals that her own enthusiasm led her to achieve her goals and soon to move again... But this time, to a apartment of her own on Park Avenue. "I think what I achieved during my first year in the US was extraordinary," she says. However, her life changed significantly in September 1998, 24 months after her arrival, when a friend invited her to her boyfriend's party at a club called Kit Kat. And even though she felt tired, she accepted the invitation.
"As soon as I arrived, I approached my friend and saw her greet someone. It was a man and an attractive blonde. 'I'm Donald Trump,' he said to me and I recognized his name. I knew he was a businessman. He extended his hand, I told him my name, and his eyes filled with curiosity. He sat next to me, started a conversation, and asked about my life, but I didn't want to get too involved because of his beautiful companion," she points out.
"The music was loud, and the crowd was noisy. There was a lot of activity around us, but his focus on our conversation made me feel like the center of his world. I was drawn to his magnetic energy.... And when his companion left for a moment, he asked for my phone number. I politely declined his proposal, and he was a bit surprised. Then I said, 'give me your number.' He called his bodyguard and gave me a card saying 'call me,'" she explains.
In her book, Melania asserts that, although she traveled to the Caribbean the next day, she "couldn't stop thinking about Trump," because his look and confidence had caught her attention. "I think Donald appreciated my knowledge and experiences and perhaps saw me as someone he could have deep conversations with. So I called him, but since he didn't pick up, I left a message. I even said 'I hope your date went well that night,' jokingly. And he called me that afternoon," she comments.
The next day, they continued talking on the phone, and soon the millionaire invited her to his house in Bedford. When she arrived, he told her he had plans to turn the property into a golf course. "And now that I think about it, it was a date very much in his style, a mix of business and pleasure. Additionally, he confessed to me that he was going through a divorce with his second wife. And even though he was 52 and I was 28, I felt a connection," she declares.
That's how Melania and Donald Trump started dating. At first, their romance was kept secret. But after a couple of weeks, they decided to start appearing in public together. According to Melania, they had a lot in common, and she had no doubt about their complicity. Although others doubted. Even tabloids called her a 'gold digger.' But she claims she was never interested in his bank account. In fact, she says she could have built a substantial fortune on her own. "As a model, I made my money and could have gotten any famous man I wanted," she concludes.