Donald and Melania Trump faced their fair share of challenges during their time in the White House. From the infamous jacket incident to other arguments behind closed doors, their relationship was tested. Now, as they set their sights on securing a second term in the White House, the former president and first lady are determined to leave the past behind them. Melania Trump, while fulfilling her responsibilities as the First Lady of the United States, also focused on protecting their son, Barron, from media scrutiny. However, her true intentions for the future remain uncertain.
In 2018, the Trump Administration was thrown into disarray when the allegations of hush money payments to Stormy Daniels came to light. While Donald Trump maintained his innocence, Melania Trump had made up her mind. It has now been revealed in a new book that Melania not only wanted nothing to do with her husband at the time but also desired to humiliate him.
The Beginnings of Donald and Melania Trump’s Relationship
The paths of Donald and Melania Trump crossed for the first time at a New York Fashion Show in 1998. At the time, Donald Trump had just divorced Marla Maples and attended the event with another woman. However, when he saw Melania, he was immediately captivated by her presence.
“I went crazy. I was actually supposed to meet somebody else. There was this great supermodel sitting next to Melania,” Donald Trump revealed in an interview with Larry King in 2005. “They said, ‘Look, there’s so and so.’ I said, ‘Forget about her. Who is the one on the left? And it was Melania.’”
Despite Donald’s instant fascination, Melania was not interested at all. She was turned off by the fact that he was on a date with another woman when he asked for her phone number. Melania’s best friend, Edit Molnar, shared that she deemed him “totally out of the question” and refused to give him her number.
Eventually, Donald Trump persisted, and Melania finally relented. According to Molnar, Melania underwent a transformation in her style to match her now-future husband. However, their relationship was not without its share of challenges. They broke up multiple times before finally reconciling and moving in together in 2001. Melania also obtained her green card around the same time and began living in Trump’s penthouse in the Trump Tower in Manhattan. Following three years of dating, the couple got married in Florida in 2006 and welcomed their son, Barron, into the world.
Melania Trump as a Protective Mother
While Barron was growing up, Melania played the primary role in his life. Donald Trump, with his busy schedule, admitted during an interview with Larry King in 2005 that he would not be involved in tasks like changing diapers or cooking meals for his children.
“I’m not going to be doing the diapers,” Donald Trump stated. “I’m not going to be making the food, I may never even see the kids.”
During the same interview, Donald hinted at his aspirations to run for president and mentioned that marrying Melania would compensate for the absence of a First Lady. Melania, for her part, saw herself as a traditional First Lady, drawing comparisons to the likes of Betty Ford and Jackie Kennedy.
Donald Trump’s dream became a reality when he won the 2016 Presidential Election. However, unlike previous first ladies, Melania did not immediately move into the White House with her husband. Instead, she chose to stay in New York City with Barron for about six months, ensuring that he finished his school year at Columbia Prep. Barron’s arrival at the White House marked a significant moment as he became the first boy to live in the presidential residence since John F. Kennedy Jr.
Given the intense scrutiny faced by the children of presidents, Melania was determined to shield Barron from the media frenzy. The White House released a statement early in 2017, urging the media to respect Barron’s privacy and allow him to grow up outside the political spotlight. Melania took charge of all communication related to Barron, ensuring that he issued no statements on his own.
Melania Trump’s Controversial Jacket Incident
The Trump presidency was not without its controversies, and one infamous incident involving Melania was the jacket she wore while visiting a migrant housing facility in Texas. The jacket bore the words “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” This choice of attire attracted significant attention and criticism, especially given the administration’s policy of separating migrant children from their families.
Stephanie Grisham, a former aide who worked in the First Lady’s office, recounted the incident in her book I’ll Take Your Questions Now. Grisham admitted that she did not notice the message on Melania’s jacket at the time. However, the President was furious upon her return from Texas and summoned her to the Oval Office.
“He yelled and asked ‘what the [expletive]’ they thought they were doing,” Grisham wrote in her memoir.
In an interview with CNN, Melania Trump clarified that the jacket was not meant for the children but rather as a message to the left-wing media and her critics. However, the incident served as a testament to the tensions within the Trump marriage.
The Stormy Daniels Scandal and Melania Trump’s Desire for Humiliation
The Stormy Daniels scandal added another layer of strain to the Trumps’ relationship. In January 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump had arranged a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels in October 2016 to prevent her from discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Despite Trump’s denial of the affair, his lawyer Michael Cohen later acknowledged making the payment on Trump’s behalf.
According to Katie Rogers, a New York Times White House correspondent, Melania Trump was deeply unhappy when the scandal came to light. In her book American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden, Rogers reveals that Melania refused to join her husband on a trip abroad and instead traveled to Mar-a-Lago without him. Melania’s press secretary at the time, Stephanie Grisham, traveled with her and confirmed that Melania wanted to convey her anger to the President and humiliate him.
Fast forward to the present, and Melania Trump has not been seen by Donald Trump’s side on the campaign trail. While she supports her husband’s bid for the presidency again, her focus remains on Barron. Donald Trump acknowledges her commitment to their son and the country, noting that Melania is a private person who prefers to make a difference behind the scenes. He appreciates the fact that she is not always in the spotlight like some other first ladies, but her dedication to the success of the country remains unwavering.
As Donald Trump embarks on his quest for a second term, Melania’s role remains pivotal. Only time will tell if they can overcome the challenges of their past and succeed in the future.
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