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Who Are Melania Trump's Parents? Know All About Viktor And Amalija Knavs And Their Lives From Slovenia To The US
Former president Donald Trump’s wife is a well-known personality in the US. But who are Melania Trump’s parents? Here are the details.
Melania Trump has built a life for herself in the USA. As the wife of the former U.S. President, many people often wonder about Melania Trump’s parents. If you are one of her followers, here’s everything you need to know about Viktor and Amalija Knavs.
The couple hails from Slovenia and has backgrounds in the fashion and car sales industries. They come from a small town located about an hour from the country’s capital. After their daughter’s marriage to Donald Trump, they eventually moved to the USA and later became permanent residents.
Let’s take a look at the journey of this loving couple, from Slovenia to the USA.
Melania Trump's mother Amalija Knavs and father Viktor Knavs met in the 1960s
As per GQ, Melania Trump’s father Viktor Knavs and mother Amaljia Knavs met each other in Slovenia when it was still a part of Yugoslavia. This was in the year 1966. The couple then moved to Sevnica, a hilly town where they bought an apartment.
This was also the time when Viktor Knavs was a member of the Sevnica Communist Party. The father of Melania Trump also was a chauffeur for the mayor of a neighboring town and then held the same position for the head of the government-owned textile factory, Jutranjka, per The New York Times report.
Amalija worked at the same factory as a patternmaker.
Melania Trump's parents have two daughters
Melania Trump’s mother and Viktor Knavs share two daughters together. While Ines was born in 1968, Melania was born in 1970. Meanwhile, Viktor has a son from his previous relationship, named Denis Cigelnjak.
Both the daughters were raised in Sevnica and Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital. They, however, traveled to France, Italy, and Germany for their vacations.
Melania Trump’s mother Amalija Knavs belonged to the fashion industry
After working at her parent's red onion farm, Melania Trump’s mother, Amalija took a job at the Jutranjka state textile factory, per New York Times. She then earned a position as a patternmaker at a children’s clothing factory. Melania Trump’s mother did this job for three decades, from 1964 to 1997.
As per PEOPLE, it was Amalija’s career that pushed Melania into the fashion and modeling industry. As stated in a 2019 book by Betty Boyd Caroli, Amalija had “laid the foundation” for Melania’s future career.
Melania Trump’s father, Viktor Knavs was a car salesman
GQ had reported that while Viktor Knavs worked as a chauffeur before, he later became a traveling car salesman. He worked in the latter position for the state-owned car company. Soon Viktor Knavs then opened his own bicycle and car parts shop in Ljubljana.
Melania had stated to the outlet that her father and her husband, Donald Trump are both “hardworking” men. Talking to GQ, she stated back in 2016, “They’re both very smart and very capable.”
“They grew up in totally different environments, but they have the same values, they have the same tradition,” the former first lady of the USA stated.
Donald Trump is close in age to Melania’s parents
Talking about Melania Trump's parents and her husband, Viktor, Amalija, and Trump were all born within two years of one another. Coming to the age gap between Donald Trump and Melania, the former US President is 24 years older than the former model.
While Viktor Knavs was born on March 24, 1944, Amalija Knavs was born on July 9, 1945. Meanwhile, Donald Trump was born on June 14, 1946.
Melania Trump’s parents lived in the White House
While Donald Trump was serving the presidency, both Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs lived in the White House. They spent their time at the suite once occupied by former President Barack Obama’s mother, per the New York Times.
Meanwhile, Melania Trump’s parents also stayed at an apartment in Trump Tower in New York and also at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
The couple still owned properties in Slovenia, continuing their ties with the European region. GQ once reported that in 2016, Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs owned a house in Sevnica, that they visited around two to three times a year.
Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs became the US citizens in 2018
It was in August 2018 that Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs received their U.S. citizenship. While Melania sponsored the green cards of her parents, they applied for citizenship when they became eligible.
Both Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs share a close bond with their grandchild
Melania and Donald Trump’s youngest child Barron was loved wholeheartedly by both Viktor and Amalija. Barron was bilingual and had conversations with his grandmother in Slovenian. They had a great impact on Barrons life as they even lived with their daughter helping her raise the kid.
Amalija Knavs passed away in January 2024
It was on January 9, 2024, that Melania announced her mother Amalija, had died at the age of 78.
Taking to X, Melania wrote, “It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija.”
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