History of Melania Trump in Timeline
Melania Trump, a Slovenian-American former model, has served as First Lady of the United States during two non-consecutive terms of her husband, Donald Trump's presidency (2017-2021 and since 2025). She is the first naturalized citizen to hold the role, the second foreign-born first lady after Louisa Adams, the second Roman Catholic first lady after Jacqueline Kennedy, and the second first lady to serve two nonconsecutive terms after Frances Cleveland. Her background as a model and immigrant sets her apart from previous First Ladies.
1982: First First Ladies Study
In 1982, the Siena College Research Institute conducted its first study of First Ladies.
1988: Start of spouse polling
In 1988, polling of candidates' spouses began.
January 22, 2005: Donald and Melania's Wedding
On January 22, 2005, Donald and Melania Trump were married at the Bethesda-by-the-Sea church in Palm Beach, Florida, followed by a reception at Donald's Mar-a-Lago estate. Melania planned the event with Preston Bailey, inviting numerous celebrities. Melania's sister, Ines, was her bridesmaid. Melania arranged the details, declining Donald's suggestion to broadcast the wedding on NBC.
2005: Access Hollywood Tape Recorded
In 2005, the Access Hollywood tape, featuring audio of Donald Trump making lewd remarks about women, was recorded. It was leaked a month before the 2016 election. The campaign's primary concern was Melania's reaction.
March 20, 2006: Birth of Barron William Trump
On March 20, 2006, Melania and Donald Trump's son, Barron William Trump, was born. Melania chose his middle name, and Donald chose his first name. Melania took an active role in raising Barron, reducing her attendance at events with Donald. She preferred to raise him herself with minimal help from nannies.
July 2006: Extramarital affair Allegations
In July 2006, Donald Trump allegedly had an affair with pornographic actress Stormy Daniels after his marriage to Melania and the birth of their son.
July 28, 2006: Melania Becomes a U.S. Citizen
On July 28, 2006, Melania Trump became a citizen of the United States. Following this, she sponsored her parents' immigration using the "chain migration" process. Melania and Barron maintain dual citizenship in both the United States and Slovenia, residing primarily at Trump residences with her parents and son.
2008: Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention
In 2008, Michelle Obama gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention. A paragraph of Melania Trump's speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention was plagiarized from this speech.
2009: Trademarking of Melania Name
In 2009, Melania Trump trademarked her name, Melania, to launch a jewelry brand, selling less expensive pieces on QVC. The jewelry designs were based on New York, Palm Beach, and Paris, and Melania made sure to not use the Trump name. Melania's collections sold out each time.
2011: Development of Melania Marks Skincare Line
In 2011, Melania Trump developed a line of caviar-infused skincare products under the brand Melania Marks Skincare, though it never launched. A legal case with New Sunshine, the company selling the products, ensued over contract disputes, which was settled out of court in Melania's favor after she sued for $50 million in lost revenue.
November 2015: First Speaking Appearance
In November 2015, Melania Trump made one of her earliest speaking appearances in the campaign after Donald called on her to speak to the crowd, where she only said a few sentences.
February 2016: Second Speaking Appearance
In February 2016, Melania Trump made a second speaking appearance in the campaign after Donald called on her to speak to the crowd, where she only said a few sentences.
April 2016: First Scheduled Speech
In April 2016, Melania Trump gave her first scheduled speech during the campaign.
July 2016: Publication of Nude Images
In July 2016, more nude images of Melania Trump were published on the front page of the New York Post in a story titled "The Ogle Office". While the images did not have a major effect on the campaign as Melania was seen as the victim, she was humiliated and spent the following two months away from the public.
July 18, 2016: Speech at Republican National Convention
On July 18, 2016, Melania Trump delivered a speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention. A controversy arose when a paragraph was found to be plagiarized from Michelle Obama's 2008 speech. Melania initially stated she wrote the speech herself "with as little help as possible." Staff writer Meredith McIver later took responsibility.
2016: Unfavorable polling during 2016 election
During the 2016 presidential election, Melania Trump became the only candidate's spouse since polling began in 1988 to have a disapproval rating greater than their approval rating.
2016: Less Active Campaigning
During the 2016 presidential election, Melania was not as active a campaigner as she would be in future elections.
2016: Convincing Donald to Run for President
In 2016, Melania Trump convinced Donald Trump to campaign for president. She made it clear she would not be pressured into campaigning and would only make appearances when she wanted. Citing the need to stay home with Barron, she played a small role in the campaign, also reducing her activity on social media.
2016: Lawsuit Against Daily Mail
In 2016, Melania sued the Daily Mail for libel after it alleged that she had worked for an escort agency. The suit was initially for lost career opportunities, but this was changed to emotional distress when she received questions about career opportunities as first lady.
January 2017: Becoming First Lady
In January 2017, Melania Trump became First Lady of the United States after her husband Donald Trump was inaugurated as president.
January 20, 2017: Decision to Stay in New York
Following Donald Trump's inauguration as president on January 20, 2017, Melania Trump announced she would remain in Manhattan with Barron until the end of his school year. This decision also allowed her to gradually introduce Barron to the White House and negotiate new terms for her prenuptial agreement with Donald.
March 8, 2017: First White House Event
On March 8, 2017, Melania Trump hosted her first White House event, a luncheon for International Women's Day. She spoke about her life as a female immigrant and about working towards gender equality through education.
May 2017: Visit to Vatican City
In May 2017, Melania Trump and Donald Trump visited Vatican City. As a Roman Catholic, Pope Francis blessed Melania's rosary beads, and she placed flowers at a statue of the Madonna at the Vatican's Bambino Gesù children's hospital.
May 2017: Hand-Slapping Incident in Israel
In May 2017, during a visit to Israel, Melania Trump slapped away Donald Trump's hand when he reached for hers after she had fallen behind while walking with him and Benjamin Netanyahu. This incident was the first time press coverage of Melania took notice of an independent streak.
June 11, 2017: Move to the White House
On June 11, 2017, Melania Trump and her son, Barron, moved into the White House. Melania and Donald chose to sleep in separate bedrooms, as they had throughout their marriage. She communicated her activities through video. She primarily spoke about women's and children's issues.
2017: Licensing Photos Through Getty Images
In 2017, Melania Trump licensed photos from her photoshoots through Getty Images to control their use and maintain an income. She received royalties, estimated between $100,000 to $1,000,000, for each use.
January 2018: Stormy Daniels Scandal
In January 2018, news broke alleging Donald Trump had an extramarital affair with Stormy Daniels in 2006, leading to infrequent public appearances by Melania and cancellation of events, including riding separately to the 2018 State of the Union Address.
April 2018: Diagnosis with Kidney Disease
In April 2018, Melania Trump learned she had kidney disease and only confided in her parents, husband, and sister about her condition.
April 2018: Increased approval rating amid adultery allegations
In April 2018, Melania Trump's approval rating increased to 57% in a CNN poll after she received public sympathy amid allegations that her husband had committed adultery.
May 7, 2018: Announcement of Be Best Campaign
On May 7, 2018, Melania Trump held a press conference at the White House Rose Garden to announce her official public initiative as first lady, the Be Best awareness campaign, focusing on children's welfare, cyberbullying, and opioid abuse prevention.
August 9, 2018: Parents Granted American Citizenship
On August 9, 2018, Melania's parents were granted American citizenship, which revitalized accusations of hypocrisy against the Trumps regarding immigration policies.
2018: White House Christmas Decorations
In 2018, Melania Trump planned the White House Christmas decorations. She filled the East Collonnade with red cranberry-laden trees set atop a green carpet, a design that was widely derided.
2018: Criticism of Zero Tolerance Policy
In 2018, Melania Trump publicly criticized her husband's "zero tolerance" policy at the Mexico-United States border, advocating for immigration reform and family unity.
October 2019: Justice Department Files Civil Suit
In October 2019, The Justice Department filed a civil suit against Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, alleging breach of a nondisclosure agreement.
2019: First Appearances at the Kennedy Center
In 2019, Melania Trump made her first appearances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as its honorary chair, a role she had due to political tensions initially been uninvolved in.
2019: Hypocrisy Criticism for Cyberbullying
In 2019, Melania Trump's Be Best campaign faced criticism for perceived hypocrisy, given her husband's online attacks, particularly after he criticized Greta Thunberg.
April 2020: Staff Reorganization
In April 2020, Melania Trump reorganized her staff in anticipation of her husband's reelection campaign, appointing Marcia Lee Kelly and Emma Doyle to senior roles and shifting responsibilities after removing Lindsay Reynolds.
October 1, 2020: Release of Audiotapes by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff
On October 1, 2020, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff released audiotapes featuring Melania making profane statements about her role as first lady and admitting she wore her "I really don't care, do u" jacket to irritate liberals. These tapes were released alongside the book "Melania and Me".
November 2020: Unveiling of Floor Frame Sculpture
In November 2020, Melania Trump unveiled the abstract sculpture Floor Frame by Isamu Noguchi in the White House Rose Garden. She described it as "embodying themes of resilience and renewal."
December 2020: Siena College Research Institute study ranking
In December 2020, the Siena College Research Institute released a study ranking Melania Trump as the worst of 40 assessed American first ladies. Melania Trump also received the lowest assessments in all of the metrics that were weighed. The study also found that historians and scholars most-believed Melania Trump "could have done more" while first lady. The study also concluded that Melania Trump's "Be Best" initiative was the least effective among the ten most-recent first ladies.
2020: Public perception as First Lady
In 2020, Melania Trump's staff was instructed to not answer questions regarding her whereabouts, leading to public rumors about her feelings towards her husband.
2020: Endorsement of False Election Claims
In 2020, despite Donald Trump's election loss, Melania Trump endorsed his false statement that he was the legitimate election winner and focused on compiling photo albums of White House decorations.
2020: Leaked Tapes Defending Border Policies
In 2020, leaked tapes revealed Melania Trump defending some of the practices regarding asylum seekers and children at the border, while also questioning the validity of asylum claims.
February 2021: Civil Suit Dropped
In February 2021, under the Biden administration, the civil suit against Stephanie Winston Wolkoff was dropped.
2021: End of First Lady tenure and lowest approval rating
In 2021, Melania Trump finished her tenure as the least popular First Lady since polling began with a rating of 42%.
September 2022: Melania Claims Tapes Were Edited
In September 2022, Melania claimed in an interview with Breitbart News that the audiotapes released by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff had been strategically edited.
November 2023: Attendance at Rosalynn Carter's Memorial Service
In November 2023, Melania Trump attended the memorial service for former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.
July 2024: Increased Visibility and Memoir Announcement
In July 2024, Melania Trump became more visible after the attempted assassination of her husband and announced her upcoming memoir titled "Melania", but declined an invitation to speak at the Republican National Convention.
September 2024: Hurricane Helene Hits North Carolina
In September 2024, parts of North Carolina were hit by Hurricane Helene.
November 5, 2024: Donald Trump Wins Election
On November 5, 2024, Donald Trump won the election.
December 2024: Filming Starts for Documentary
In December 2024, filming began for an upcoming documentary film on Melania Trump directed by Brett Ratner.
2024: Michael Cohen's Testimony
In 2024, during The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump trial, Michael Cohen testified that Donald Trump credited Melania with suggesting the campaign's response strategy to the Access Hollywood tape should be to characterize the conversation as "locker room talk".
January 2025: Amazon Licenses Documentary and Cryptocurrency Launch
In January 2025, Amazon MGM Studios licensed an upcoming documentary film on Melania Trump. On the eve of Donald's inauguration, Melania launched her own cryptocurrency, the $Melania coin.
January 2025: Travels to Disaster Areas
In January 2025, during the first few days of her second tenure as first lady, Melania traveled with President Trump to North Carolina and Southern California to monitor the progress of rescue services after Hurricane Helene and the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.
January 20, 2025: Second Non-Consecutive Term as First Lady Begins
On January 20, 2025, Melania Trump became the second first lady to hold the position two times non-consecutively, after Frances Cleveland, during Donald Trump's second inauguration.
February 2025: Announcement of White House Tour Resumption
In February 2025, Melania announced that public tours of the White House would resume on the 25th day of the month.
March 3, 2025: Solo Appearance on Capitol Hill for Take It Down Act
On March 3, 2025, Melania Trump made her first solo appearance as first lady for the term by attending a roundtable discussion at Capitol Hill on the Take It Down Act, a bill concerning the removal of intimate imagery posted online without consent.
April 2025: Honoring Recipients and Reopening White House Garden Tours
In April 2025, Melania Trump honored recipients at the annual International Women of Courage Awards and reopened tours of the White House gardens in early bloom.
April 21, 2025: White House Easter Egg Roll
On April 21, 2025, Melania Trump and her husband hosted the White House Easter Egg Roll, which attracted a crowd of approximately 40,000 people.
May 2025: Celebration honoring military mothers and unveiling of Barbara Bush postage stamp
In May 2025, Melania Trump hosted a celebration to honor military mothers and also hosted an event where a postage stamp dedicated to former first lady Barbara Bush was unveiled.
May 2025: Reported Cryptocurrency Trading
In May 2025, the Financial Times reported that wallets purchased millions worth of $Melania coin before Melania announced the launch and then sold them off for a significant profit.
June 2025: Attendance at Congressional Picnic and Army Anniversary Parade
In June 2025, Melania Trump attended the 2025 Congressional Picnic and the U.S. Army 250th Anniversary Parade.
July 2025: Hospital Visit and Flood Damage Survey
In July 2025, Melania Trump visited patients at Children's National Hospital, bringing gifts and participating in Independence Day activities with the children. Melania Trump also traveled with President Trump to survey damage following the July 2025 Central Texas floods.
August 2025: Influence on Russo-Ukrainian war policy shift
In August 2025, Melania Trump reportedly influenced President Trump's policy shift on the Russo-Ukrainian war after expressing concern over continued attacks. Following Melania's concern, President Trump issued a 50 day deadline for a ceasefire. Subsequently, Melania Trump authored a letter to President Putin, delivered by President Trump, urging compassion for children affected by the war and calling for peace.
August 2025: Threat to sue Hunter Biden for defamation
In August 2025, Melania Trump threatened to sue Hunter Biden for one billion dollars after Biden claimed that Melania had been introduced to Donald by Jeffrey Epstein. Biden publicly refused to retract his comments.
September 17, 2025: Attended banquet hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla
On September 17, 2025, Melania Trump and President Trump attended a banquet hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
October 2025: Addressed U.S. Navy and facilitated reunion of displaced children
In October 2025, Melania Trump addressed the U.S. Navy for its 250th celebration. Melania Trump also announced that eight children displaced during the Russo-Ukrainian war were reunited with their families following talks with Putin.
October 23, 2025: Reports of reduced presence in Washington, D.C.
On October 23, 2025, CNN reported that Melania Trump was spending less time in Washington, D.C., and employing a smaller staff.
November 2025: Honored as Fox Nation's "Patriot of the Year"
In November 2025, Melania Trump was honored as Fox Nation's "Patriot of the Year" for her work on children's global advocacy.
2025: Legal threats and recall of 'The Rise and Fall of the House of York'
In 2025, following the publication of the book, "The Rise and Fall of the House of York" written by Andrew Lownie, which alleged that Melania Trump had been introduced to Donald Trump by Jeffrey Epstein, Melania Trump strongly objected to the claim and began making legal threats. In October 2025, the book's publisher HarperCollins UK recalled the book and apologized to Melania Trump calling the claim unverified.
January 30, 2026: Documentary Release Date
On January 30, 2026, the documentary about Melania Trump is scheduled to be released in US theaters and other territories.
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