Inside the Trump orbit, many people have been given unique and funny nicknames. Some nicknames are due to peculiar behavior, speaking styles, clothing choices, or simply their public image. Like DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has been named as “ICE Barbie,” or Trump’s hair and fake tan are often compared to the color of Cheetos powder.
Therefore, over the years, MAGA women have picked up plenty of sharp nicknames since the rise of the “Make America Great Again” movement, and former First Lady Melania Trump has not escaped that trend. Even before her time in the White House, Melania had already faced the harsher side of the media. When she began dating Donald Trump at age 26, many were quick to label her a “gold digger” or compare her to former first ladies and mock her brutally.
The claim was quite hurtful for young Melania, who had come to New York with a lot of hopes in her heart to be a top model. In September 1998, she met Donald Trump at a Fashion Week party in NYC. At that time, Trump was divorced from Marla Maples and was a top real estate and business mogul.
Love this interview with Melania at age 26. When asked if she had been hurt by the comments that she was with Donald Trump because he was rich, she gave a very honest and mature answer and said…“they don’t know me”. Love our @FLOTUS 💗 pic.twitter.com/gcEpuF8Rgo
— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕷𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖘™️ (@CL4WS_OUT) July 17, 2025
The duo had a whirlwind romance, and despite their significant age gap, it progressed swiftly. In 2004, the then-real estate mogul proposed to Melania Knauss (maiden name) with a 12-carat emerald-cut diamond ring by Laurence Graff, valued at a reported $1.5 million. The wedding occurred at the historic Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in 2005.
In a recent interview during Donald Trump’s second term, she reflected on the public’s perception of her. She noted that while many see her simply as a typical political spouse, her personal journey has been much more than that.
“Maybe some people, they see me as just a wife of the president,” she said. “But I’m standing on my own two feet—independent. I have my thoughts. I have my own yes and no. I don’t always agree with what my husband is saying or doing, and that’s okay,” she added.
According to The List, while the mother of one expected the name-calling and labeling to subside once she became First Lady, public scrutiny of Melania only intensified after she officially assumed the role. But this time, some of the commentary reportedly came from those working closest to her.
According to multiple accounts, Secret Service members and White House staff privately referred to her as “Rapunzel,” comparing her to the storybook princess hidden away in a tower. The nickname stemmed from the former model mostly staying away from the spotlight except for specific inevitable commitments.
Yet, she’s the president’s backbone in his personal life. Considering her habit of retaining privacy, even Donald Trump acknowledged in a Washington Post interview that his wife had not wanted him to run for president in 2016. Furthermore, her stepdaughter, Ivanka Trump, also gave her a nickname.
According to Mary Jordan’s 2020 book “The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump,” Ivanka referred to Melania as “The Portrait.” The name is after referencing Melania’s reserved public conduct. Unlike her husband, she maintains a certain sense of class and does not mingle with everyone. She’s selective, classy and one of a kind.
White House life has led to friction between Melania and Ivanka Trump, source says https://t.co/gZSn5toZRo pic.twitter.com/oTQgqP7kh4
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 4, 2019
Interestingly, Ivanka also allegedly has a feud with her stepmother, Melania Trump. This feud reportedly began when Donald Trump assumed office in 2016, and tensions reportedly surfaced due to an internal power struggle.
As per the Daily Mail, the two clashed over a range of issues — from office space and foreign travel to influence on certain policy matters. In the meantime, Melania delayed her move to Washington and lived in New York as she was waiting for her son Barron to finish school. Ivanka and her husband swiftly moved to the capital and began taking on several duties traditionally associated with Melania.
