Melania Trump announces death of mother Amalija Knavs

Melania Trump announces mother's death, remembers her as strong and devoted. Donald Trump also pays tribute. The couple raised Melania in Slovenia.

Melania Trump, the former First Lady, took to social media to announce the passing of her mother, Amalija Knavs. In her heartfelt tribute, Melania remembered her mother as a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity. She expressed the family's immeasurable loss and vowed to continue honoring and loving her mother's legacy.

Former President Donald Trump also shared his grief over the loss of his mother-in-law, expressing his sadness and calling her an incredible woman who will be missed beyond words. He revealed that Knavs had been very ill and that the situation had been tough for the family.

Amalija Knavs and her husband, Victor, became United States citizens in 2018 through family-based immigration, a process that had been previously criticized by Donald Trump. Despite his previous views on chain migration, Trump sponsored his in-laws, and they spent time in Washington D.C. while Melania lived in the White House with her son Barron. Their lawyer clarified that they had applied for citizenship on their own and did not receive any special treatment.

Amalija and Victor Knavs raised Melania in the rural industrial town of Sevnica while Slovenia was under Communist rule. Melania went on to attend high school in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, and changed her name to Melania Knauss when she began her modeling career. The family's immigration story and Melania's upbringing in Slovenia have been central to her public image.