Amalija Knavs, mother to former first lady Melania Trump, has passed away at 78 years old. The news was shared by Melania Trump on a Tuesday, expressing profound sorrow over the loss of her mother. Knavs was described as a woman of strength, grace, and warmth, who dedicated her life to her family. Her passing has left a significant void in the lives of her loved ones, who vow to honor and cherish her memory.
The cause of Knavs’ death was not disclosed, but it was known that she had been battling illness for a while. Former President Donald Trump paid tribute to his mother-in-law on his social media platform, Truth Social, on the same Tuesday night. He expressed deep sadness for the family’s loss, praising Knavs as an extraordinary woman whose absence will be deeply felt.
Melania Trump was notably absent from her family’s annual Christmas photo last year, choosing instead to be by her ailing mother’s side in the hospital. This was reported by insiders to The Post in the previous month. Despite his wife’s illness, Melania’s father, Viktor, was seen in the family snapshot, appearing cheerful.
Melania Trump and her mother, both natives of Slovenia, shared a close bond, as reported by Melania’s former senior aide, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. Wolkoff, author of “Melania and Me,” stated that Melania has always been a caregiver to her parents and offered prayers for Amalija.
The Knavs became official US citizens in 2018, during Donald Trump’s presidency. Their green cards, obtained months before their citizenship oaths, sparked controversy over whether they had taken advantage of the family reunification process, a system Donald Trump had criticized as “chain migration.”
The couple, who largely avoided the public eye, spent their recent years residing in Mar-a-Lago. They raised their daughter in the industrial town of Sevnica, Slovenia, during the Communist era. Amalija Knavs was employed in a textile factory, while Viktor worked as a car dealer.
Melania Trump, originally named Melanija, altered her name to Melania Knauss when she embarked on her modeling career. She relocated to New York in 1996, met businessman Donald Trump two years later, and became his third wife in 2005.