What’s the real story behind Melania and Trump’s first encounter at the Kit Kat Club? How did their relationship evolve from a chance meeting to a high-profile marriage?
Melania and Donald Trump’s love story began in 1998 at a Fashion Week party in New York City. From their first conversation to their glamorous wedding at Mar-a-Lago, Melania and Donald’s relationship captured public attention while maintaining elements of privacy and genuine connection.
Keep reading for an intimate look at Melania and Donald Trump’s courtship, marriage, and family life.
Image credit: John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image cropped.
Melania and Donald Trump’s Courtship
Melania and Donald Trump met in New York City in September 1998. After returning from a trip to Paris, Melania was invited by a friend to attend a party at the Kit Kat Club during Fashion Week. There she was introduced to Trump and was struck by his charm and easygoing nature. Despite the bustling environment, Melania found herself captivated by Trump’s focused attention on their conversation, which, she writes, made her feel like the center of his world.
(Shortform note: In the late 1990s, Trump was a prominent real estate developer, recognized for projects like Trump Tower and casinos in Atlantic City. His 1987 book, The Art of the Deal, became a best seller and bolstered his image as a successful businessman, which he maintained despite financial struggles and bankruptcy filings in the early ’90s.)
When Trump’s date stepped away, he asked Melania for her phone number. She refused but offered to take his card, promising to call him. Trump agreed, writing his number on a card for her. This encounter left a lasting impression, and Melania says she thought about Trump during a Caribbean photo shoot the next day. Upon returning, she called him, and their pleasant conversation led to a first date—a drive to Trump’s property in Bedford, New York. Melania was impressed by Trump’s down-to-earth nature despite his success, and, she writes, she felt an instant connection with him.
(Shortform note: At the time of their meeting in 1998, Trump was 52 and Melania was 28. Trump was in the process of divorcing his second wife, the model Marla Maples. His first marriage to Ivana Trump had ended in 1992 amid a highly publicized affair with Maples; Trump and Ivana had three children at the time—Donald Jr. (21), Ivanka (17), and Eric (14). Trump married Maples in 1993, shortly after their daughter Tiffany’s birth. However, this marriage was short-lived; they separated in 1997 when Tiffany was four, finalizing their divorce in 1999.)
Melania recounts that their courtship progressed rapidly, with the two enjoying each other’s company at various events and private outings. Despite the public attention their relationship attracted, Melania says they strived to maintain privacy. They shared common interests, including a love for Elvis Presley and Elton John, and enjoyed attending theater shows and sports events, and watching movies. Melania appreciated Trump’s organizational skills and good taste, which she felt reflected his self-respect and respect for others.
(Shortform note: Melania and Trump’s relationship gained significant public attention during a controversial 1999 episode of the Howard Stern Show. Trump had called in to show, with Melania by his side. Stern asked Melania personal questions about her attire and intimate details of her sex life with Trump, to which she politely responded.)
Melania and Donald Trump’s Marriage
In April 2004, Trump proposed to Melania with an emerald-cut diamond ring just before they attended the Met Gala, a prestigious annual fashion event. They married on January 22, 2005, in a lavish ceremony at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, followed by a reception at the Mar-a-Lago Club, Trump’s Palm Beach resort. According to Melania, the wedding was a star-studded affair, with 500 guests including celebrities, politicians, and media figures, including the Clintons, basketball player Shaquille O’Neil, broadcast journalist Barbara Walters, and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
(Shortform note: Compared to other celebrity weddings of the early 2000s, such as those of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline or Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, the Trump-Knauss wedding stood out not only for its opulence but also for its blend of elite political and entertainment guests. The mixed guest list reflected Trump’s unique position as a real estate mogul and reality TV star who was integrated into both Hollywood and political circles.)
Motherhood
Melania continued modeling during the early years of her marriage but paused her career following the birth of their son, Barron William Trump, in March 2006. She describes becoming a mother as a transformative experience that brought her a new sense of love, purpose, and fulfillment. This newfound focus led her to withdraw from public life to prioritize her role as a mother. She also writes that she enjoyed watching Trump as a father, teaching Barron how to golf and swim at their Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago.
| Trump’s Alleged Affairs Absent in the memoir is any mention of Trump’s extramarital affairs, which allegedly occurred shortly after Barron was born. In July 2006, Donald Trump met adult film actress Stormy Daniels at the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Daniels claims they had dinner and consensual sex in a hotel room, during which Trump suggested she could appear on “The Apprentice.” At the time, Trump had been married to Melania for about a year, and their son Barron was a few months old. Trump has denied the affair, although he was convicted in May 2024 of paying Daniels hush money in an attempt to illegally influence the 2016 election. (Sentencing was scheduled for November 26, 2024.) Also in 2006, former Playboy model Karen McDougal alleged that she had an affair with Trump, which reportedly lasted about 10 months. McDougal claimed that the relationship began after they met at a party at the Playboy Mansion. She also stated that Trump tried to pay her for their interactions, but she refused. McDougal later reached an agreement with American Media Inc. (AMI), the publisher of the National Enquirer, which paid her $150,000 for the rights to her story, but the story was never published—a practice known as “catch and kill.” Trump has denied the affair. |
As Barron’s primary caregiver during weekdays, Melania adapted to the challenges of motherhood, learning to function on minimal sleep and manage the exhaustion and anxieties that come with raising a child. Melania says her approach to motherhood was influenced by her mother’s parenting style. She sought to guide and support her son without imposing her will, allowing Barron to find his own path.
| Barron Trump Barron Trump grew up in New York City and initially attended Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in Manhattan. When Donald Trump was elected president, Barron and Melania stayed in New York until he completed fifth grade. He then moved to Washington, DC and enrolled at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, joining his family at the White House in 2017. After Trump’s presidency, Barron completed high school at Oxbridge Academy in Florida, graduating in 2024. He began studying at New York University’s Stern School of Business that same year, commuting from Trump Tower. While Trump’s older children took more public roles during their father’s first 2016 presidential campaign and subsequent presidency, Barron Trump largely stayed out of the spotlight. However, he became more involved in Trump’s 2024 campaign, occasionally attending campaign rallies and supporting his father in reaching young voters. |
Melania writes that her parenting philosophy extended to her role as a stepmother, where she aimed to be a steady, supportive presence without trying to replace the mothers of Trump’s other children: Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany.
(Shortform note: Reports suggest that Melania’s relationship with her stepchildren, particularly Ivanka, was complex and at times strained. According to Stephanie Grisham, a former senior aide to the Trumps, Melania sometimes referred to Ivanka as “the Princess” behind her back, highlighting tensions allegedly stemming from Ivanka’s desire to be in the spotlight during public events and foreign trips. For instance, according to friend and former adviser Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, during the 2016 inauguration, she and Melania allegedly engaged in “Operation Block Ivanka,” an effort to keep Ivanka out of prime photo opportunities by rearranging family positions.)
American Citizenship
In July 2006, just a few months after Barron’s birth, Melania achieved another milestone by becoming an American citizen. She describes the process as challenging, involving extensive paperwork and legal complexities. However, Melania writes that her experience with the immigration system gave her insight into the difficulties faced by those seeking citizenship, including time-consuming research and paperwork. She later reflected on this journey in a speech at a 2023 naturalization ceremony at the National Archives, emphasizing the responsibilities and opportunities that come with American citizenship.
| Melania’s Path to Citizenship Melania became a US citizen in 2006 after obtaining an EB-1 visa in 2001, intended for individuals with exceptional abilities. The EB-1, often termed the “Einstein visa,” allows those excelling in fields such as science and modeling to obtain green cards without sponsors, relying on subjective criteria such as professional achievements. While it emphasizes merit, its flexible definitions sometimes lead to unexpected approvals. The EB-1 visa was central to the Trump administration’s immigration strategy, which focused on merit-based criteria over family sponsorships. The administration aimed to prioritize immigrants with exceptional skills to bolster the US economy and global competitiveness. |
