Melania Trump returns as first lady: 4 things to know about her life, marriage and more
Early life and career
Melania Trump, born Melanija Knavs in then-Communist Slovenia on April 26, 1970, is the daughter of a car dealer and a patternmaker at a children's clothing factory. She is the second foreign-born first lady in U.S. history. The first was Louisa Adams, wife of President John Quincy Adams, who was born in England.
According to biography.com, Melania grew up in a modest home with a younger sister, Ines, and later learned she had a half-brother named Daniel from one of her father’s previous relationships. After moving to Ljubljana, the future first lady developed an interest in modeling, and she started her career at age 16. Two years later, Melania signed with a modeling agency in Milan.
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After enrolling at the University of Ljubljana, Melania dropped out after a year to pursue full-time modeling. Her career brought her to the U.S. in 1996, and she received a green card for permanent residency in 2001 before she officially became an American citizen in 2006.
Melania’s past career sparked controversy after she became the first lady, with media outlets highlighting her nude modeling work. One photo, taken in 2000 for British GQ, showed her lying naked on a fur blanket.
In September, the first lady defended her nude modeling work on social media while promoting her memoir. Trump referred to her past work as a “celebration of the human form,” and she accused the media of scrutinizing it.
“Are we no longer able to appreciate the beauty of the human body?” she asked in a video clip. “We should honor our bodies and embrace the timeless tradition of using art as a powerful means of self-expression.”
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
