Melania’s first meeting with Trump: The beginning of a historic encounter
In September 1998, New York City is in the throes of Fashion Week madness. A lavish party occurred at the Kit Kat Club near Times Square in Manhattan. That night, future US First Lady Melania Knauss and real estate developer Donald Trump met for the first time, a meeting that would change their lives. Melania was only 28 years old at the time.
The events of that night
Melania, who came from Slovenia, struggled to make a name for herself as a rising model in New York. She had immigrated to the United States in 1996 and was trying to make a name for herself in the fashion world. That night, she attended the party at the invitation of Paolo Zampolli, the head of an Italian modeling agency.
On the other hand, Donald Trump, 52, was already an influential figure in New York. He came to the party with another woman. But after seeing Melania, he became attracted to her. Trump approached Melania and asked for her phone number.
However, Melania flatly rejected him. Later in an interview, she said, “He asked for my phone number, but he came with someone else, so I didn’t give him mine.” Instead, Melania asked Donald Trump for her number. She wanted to see if Trump would give her a personal or business number. Donald Trump gave her all his personal and business numbers, which impressed Melania. A few days later, Melania called him, and their relationship began.
The context at the time
In 1998, Donald Trump was separated from his second wife, Marla Maples. Their divorce was in the works, which was finalized in 1999. Trump was then known as a popular figure in addition to his real estate business.
On the other hand, Melania was busy with her modeling career. Coming from a simple family in Slovenia, she worked hard to establish herself in the international modeling world. Meeting Trump took her life in a new direction.
Relationship consequences
Their relationship deepened from the first meeting. They began to be seen together at various times, and rumors of their love spread in the media. After almost six years of dating, they got engaged in 2004. They were married in a lavish ceremony on January 22, 2005, at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Their only child, Barron Trump, was born in 2006.
Thus, Donald Trump’s meeting with 28-year-old model Melania Knauss at a party in 1998 began a new chapter in their lives, eventually leading to her becoming the First Lady of the United States.
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