Melania Trump is, theoretically, an open book. She’s been in the public eye since she began dating Donald Trump in the late ‘90s, she released a memoir in 2024, and anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription can stream her documentary right now. But, of course, there’s plenty we still don’t know about our ever-mysterious First Lady, as her book reads like a mediocre college essay, her film is brazenly substance free, and the entire Trump operation isn’t exactly passionate about transparency.

Melania is only the second foreign-born first lady in U.S. history. Her immigration story has drawn much scrutiny over the years, as it arguably highlights the hypocrisy of Donald Trump’s harsh immigration policies and his occasional threats to denatualize various enemies. Yet several key questions about her journey from Slovenia to the White House remain unanswered. And Melania only stirred more speculation about her past recently when she inexplicably made a public statement about Jeffrey Epstein, announcing, “Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump.”

So why did Melania come to the United States? How did she really meet Donald Trump? Could Melania or Barron be impacted by the Trump administration’s nativist policies? Here’s what we know.

How old is Melania Trump?

Melania is 55 years old. The future First Lady was born Melanija Knavs on April 26, 1970. Her father, Viktor Knavs, was a car dealer and her mother, Amalija Knavs, created patterns at a state-owned children’s clothing factory.

Where was Melania born?

Melania was born in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. At the time, this was part of the Socialist Federation of Yugoslavia. Slovenia declared independence from Communist Yugoslavia in 1991, when Melania was 21.

How did Melania get into modeling?

She was discovered by photographer Stane Jerko at a fashion show she attended with her mother in 1987. Jerko recalled what he saw in the 17-year-old in a 2017 interview with Voice of America, saying, “I noticed not just her good looks, but even though it might sound strange, her inner energy.”

In her memoir, Melania said she was initially wary when Jerko gave her his contact information, but she and her sister discovered he was well-known in Slovenia for his work in Jana magazine. Jerko photographed Melania at his studio and circulated the photos, which led to offers for more modeling assignments.

Melania writes, “By 1992, at the age of twenty-two, I was a dedicated architecture student and a successful part-time model.” After winning second prize in an Italian modeling contest, Melania was offered a contract with RVR, a modeling agency in Milan. This forced her to choose between architecture or modeling, and she went with the latter. (Why? We don’t know; weirdly the book says almost nothing about how she made this life-altering decision.)

When did Melania change her name?

She changed the spelling of her name from “Melanija Knavs” to “Melania Knauss” at some point during her modeling career. It’s unclear exactly when or why she made the change, and incredibly this isn’t addressed in her 184-page memoir either. Her maiden name only appears three times in the book, under the spellings “Knavs,” “Knaus,” and “Knauss.”

Does Melania really speak five languages?

During a February 2016 MSNBC interview, Melania claimed that she speaks “English, Italian, French, German,” in addition to her native Slovenian. While this assertion has been repeated in countless news reports, there’s little evidence to back it up, as Newsweek noted in 2024:

There are a few videos of Melania meeting French and Italian speakers but not much can be heard beyond general stock phrases, with her otherwise relying on a translator or speaking in English.For example, in 2019 fact-checkers Snopes found one video of her speaking to Pope Francis in which she appeared to require an Italian translator. Other video footage of her visiting hospitalized children in France and Italy shows her only using simple greeting phrases, otherwise speaking in English.As pointed out by Snopes during her visit to a children’s hospital in Rome in 2017, as she entered the room, she used the phrase “Come stai?” meaning “How are you?” However, this is an informal greeting for an individual, not a group.

There are a few videos of Melania meeting French and Italian speakers but not much can be heard beyond general stock phrases, with her otherwise relying on a translator or speaking in English.

For example, in 2019 fact-checkers Snopes found one video of her speaking to Pope Francis in which she appeared to require an Italian translator. Other video footage of her visiting hospitalized children in France and Italy shows her only using simple greeting phrases, otherwise speaking in English.

As pointed out by Snopes during her visit to a children’s hospital in Rome in 2017, as she entered the room, she used the phrase “Come stai?” meaning “How are you?” However, this is an informal greeting for an individual, not a group.

When did Melania first come to the U.S.?

Melania’s memoir begins with her landing at New York’s JFK Airport on August 27, 1996. (Some claim she actually arrived in 1995, but that is the date Trump has always provided for her first arrival in the U.S.) Several chapters later, she says she came to the U.S. to pursue modeling at the invitation of Paolo Zampolli, an Italian entrepreneur and modeling agent who would become a significant figure in her life:

By the mid-1990s I had built a successful career in Europe. At the casting call in Milan, I met Paolo Zampolli, co-owner of Metropolitan Models in New York. During our meeting, he expressed interest in having me come to the United States to discuss potential opportunities with his agency. I found him to be straightforward and serious, qualities that I values in a professional partner.

By the mid-1990s I had built a successful career in Europe. At the casting call in........

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