There was a time when Marla Maples used to rule at Donald Trump’s heart, and there was much buzz about it. It all came to light during one of New York’s most scandalous love triangles of the ’90s. Few have forgotten the showdown between Ivana Trump and Marla Maples, when Ivana confronted her and Marla boldly declared, ‘I love your husband. Do you?’ (via People).
Ivana and The Donald split soon after, and by December 1993, just two months after welcoming daughter Tiffany Trump, Marla and Donald tied the knot in a glittering ceremony at The Plaza Hotel. But while their romance began with fireworks, it fizzled out fast. After a few chaotic years in the spotlight, Marla divorced Trump in 1999, and that’s when her real glow-up began.
“I just think life is about being ready for anything … and where you’re going to find the positive in all things,” she told Today in December 2018. And find the positive, she did. Marla Maples may have walked away from Trump, but she walked straight into the best chapter of her life.
From Trump’s Arm Candy to Fiercely Independent Woman
Contrary to popular belief, Marla didn’t leave Trump with a mountain of money. “I kind of giggle about it when I hear people describe me living some lavish lifestyle,” she told People in April 2016. “I live in a 740-sq.-ft. apartment. Who are they talking about?”
According to a Vanity Fair report from 2019, Marla’s prenup only netted her a modest $1 million, plus another $1 million to buy a home. That’s loose change in Trump World. So instead of clinging to Manhattan high society, Marla packed her bags, scooped up five-year-old Tiffany, and headed west. She built a quiet life in sunny California, far from the flashing cameras and chaos of New York City.
“She wanted me to have a chance to have a normal childhood. As normal as possible. I think that she did well in that,” Tiffany told People. Marla agrees. “She was with me through every bit of my journey … I never hid anything from her. She watched me have to go through so much in the media and how I handled it,” she reflected. Single mom life didn’t slow her down; it made her stronger.
Maples – Wellness Warrior and Woman of Purpose
Today, Donald Trump’s ex-wife has reinvented herself as a wellness coach, philanthropist, and advocate for personal growth. She is the co-founder of the infamous Global Wellness Forum as well as The Marla Maples Foundation, with both of them promoting “truth, wellness, and freedom” around the globe.
While the former president remains consumed by politics, Marla is aging like fine wine — glowing, grounded, and gracefully out of the spotlight At 60, her presence reflects on the fact that wellness, sunlight, and self-love are the ultimate facelift. “Maples leveled all the way up after her divorce from The Donald,” a friend close to her said. And judging by her radiant smile and grounded energy, we’d say that’s an understatement.
