10 Controversial and Surprising Things Melania Trump Has Done

10 Controversial Facts About Melania Trump

Navigating the turbulent seas of the White House needs determination, and Melania Trump, the former first lady, experienced a unique set of obstacles as the wife of Donald Trump. Melania's path to the White House was anything but average, from her childhood in Slovenia to her high-profile modeling career in Paris and Milan. She has withstood the storm of public opinion since her husband's 2016 presidential victory, enduring scrutiny and repeated comparisons to her predecessors.

Melania drew scathing criticism as a first lady not only for her professional choices but also for her immigrant origins and her defense of her husband despite several sex scandals. Here's an investigation into Melania's dark secrets, shedding light on the complexities of her life and the controversies she continues to face.

1. Melania and Donald Trump Frequently Spend Significant Time Apart

Melania Trump's reported disdain for her husband has spurred online speculation, with videos showing her batting away Donald's attempts at holding her hand. While the reality of these assertions is unknown, sources indicate that the couple maintains largely distinct lives despite living in the same house, per Nicki Swift. A source told The Washington Post that Melania and Donald keep separate schedules, rarely crossing paths even in their spare time. During the campaign, Melania acknowledged their independence by saying, "We give ourselves and each other space." On a Fox & Friends broadcast, Donald casually downplayed his birthday gift to Melania, emphasizing his hectic schedule over special gestures.

2. Melania and Ivanka Trump Don’t Get Along

Melania and Ivanka Trump's relationship is said to be tense, with betrayal and "deception," according to Stephanie Winston Wolkoff's memoir, Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady. Melania allegedly addressed Ivanka as "princess" and confided in Wolkoff about her daughter-in-law's snake-like behavior. The anger grew after Donald's divisive immigration ban, which resulted in family separations. Melania stayed away from Washington, D.C., while Ivanka sponsored movie screenings, which Wolkoff blasted as tone-deaf in light of the continuing crisis. Wolkoff also claimed that Ivanka hired Melania's staffers, naming her a "serial poacher."

3. Melania Doesn’t Have Many Pals

Even her former chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham, has turned against Melania, making it difficult for her to maintain close ties. Grisham, who served from 2017 to 2021 and then resigned, acknowledged on CNN that she did not vote for Donald Trump and wrote a critical memoir, breaching her previous vow. Melania's inner circle is small, with an insider telling OK! magazine that her friends are mostly family. The withdrawal of trusted advisers and personnel, including Grisham, complicates Melania's social landscape, leaving her to rely on family rather than build connections outside her group.

4. She Propagated the Barack Obama Birther Gossip

Melania embraced the widespread birther myth, which called Barack Obama's natural-born citizenship into question. During Donald's request for Obama's birth certificate in 2011, Melania went on The Joy Behar Show, stressing that it wasn't only Donald who sought proof, but the American people as well. Despite Obama's earlier publication of a short-form birth certificate, Melania fueled the speculation by alleging a distinction. The issue, which began during the 2008 presidential race, raged on as Donald offered a $5 million reward for proof of Obama's birth in the United States.

5. Melania Spent Christmas Caring for Her Unwell Mother

Melania chose a low-key Christmas in 2023 to care for her ailing mother, Amalija Knavs. Melania's absence from family events and the Trump Christmas photo was addressed by Donald at a Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve celebration. The former president announced that Amalija was receiving treatment in a Miami hospital and expressed hope for her recovery. Despite the difficulties, Donald maintained a cheery attitude, emphasizing Melania's popularity and mobilizing partygoers for the forthcoming 2024 elections.

6. Her Lack of Support for Donald’s Immigration Policies

Melania's former Chief of Staff Stephanie Winston Wolkoff highlighted the former first lady's dissatisfaction with her husband's immigration policies in disturbing audio recordings from 2018. Melania, who is dealing with the consequences of Donald Trump's immigration ban and family separations, shared her concerns openly. She grumbled on Anderson Cooper 360, "Who gives a f*** about Christmas stuff and decorations?" But I need to do it, right?" In defending herself against public criticism, she questioned why a comparable response did not occur during Obama's presidency. "They say I'm complicit," Melania said of her husband's immigration policies. I'm the same as him, I support him. I don't say enough, I don't do enough where I am."

7. Melania Felt She Was Partly Damned for the January 6 Insurrection

Following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Melania drew criticism, with charges that she, like her husband, failed to prevent the violent protest. Melania responded to the outrage with a statement that condemned the "salacious gossip" and "unwarranted personal attacks" on her. She underlined the importance of repairing the nation and condemned using the crisis for personal benefit. Some questioned the authenticity of her statement, citing her alleged hesitation to condemn the attacks as they occurred. Melania refused to endorse a message condemning lawlessness and violence amid the chaotic events, according to a tweet by her former staffer Stephanie Grisham. Melania's remark aroused questions about her stance during the crisis and potential inconsistencies in her public announcements.

8. Melania Alleged the American Public of Being “Bias”

Melania, the second foreign-born First Lady, has been chastised for her apparent lack of relatability. She highlighted the lack of Vogue covers in a 2022 interview on Fox & Friends, contrasting her experience with predecessors such as Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, and Jill Biden. Melania blamed it on bias, highlighting her priority on important White House duties over magazine appearances. She defended her participation, dismissing the double standard and noting accomplishments during the Trump administration, such as the introduction of the "Be Best" anti-cyberbullying campaign. Despite public criticism, Melania declared that becoming First Lady was her greatest honor, emphasizing the value of achievements over external acclaim.

9. Melania Exposed for False Claims About Architecture Degree in Slovenia

Melania was called out for lying about her education, claiming to have earned a degree in architecture in Slovenia. Her revised bio on a beauty website, where she previously sold caviar-infused items, was discovered by the fashion blog Racked. CBS News confirmed bogus information in her 2016 Republican National Convention bio, claiming she earned a degree in design and architecture. Melania, on the other hand, dropped out of the University of Ljubljana during her freshman year. The White House later changed her bio to reflect a break in her education to pursue a modeling career.

10. Melania Took Legal Action Against Publications Accusing Her of Being an Escort

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Melania was accused of working as an escort by a Slovenian magazine. Melania sued the magazine for libel, and the publication issued an apology, admitting the lack of proof and agreeing to settle out of court. In a related move, she sued the Daily Mail and Mail Online for publicizing identical escort service allegations. Melania was awarded unspecified damages by a London court, compelling the Daily Mail to withdraw the false statements.