Donald and Melania Trump's love story: From how they met to their unusual first date

Even before Donald Trump became the President of the United States in 2016, people loved talking about his relationship with Melania. However, once he took the centre stage in politics the chatter only amplified. The media has covered every rumour possible, from speculation their relationship is only a business transaction to unverified claims that their marriage is crumbling.

Every move is carefully watched, dissected, and reported on, so naturally people are curious to know how one of the world's richest men got together with a famous Slovenian model who moved to the United States to grow her career.

Luckily, the two have not been shy about revealing the details either.

How did the two meet?

Unsurprisingly, Melania and Donald Trump met at a party in New York City in 1998. A successful 28-year-old model from Slovenia and a 52-year-old businessman seemed like a perfect match but she wasn't easily persuaded.

Not impressed with his reputation as a 'ladies’ man', the future First Lady wasn't in a rush to date the millionaire and took precautions.

Donald Trump sent his date to the ladies' room

Indeed, Donald Trump was accompanied by a date when he first saw model Melania then-Knauss. As his heart got set on the Slovenian beauty, the situation turned a little awkward that evening.

According to The Mirror, the businessman-turned-politician later admitted that he had to do a trick to secure some alone time with his love interest. He sent his date to the ladies' room so he could approach the model and ask for her number.

Melania refused to give Donald Trump her number

As Donald Trump’s reputation as a New York heartthrob preceded him, Melania wasn’t in a rush to give him her phone number.

The businessman recalled his first impression of the former US First Lady:

I saw Melania and I said, 'Who is that?' She was a very successful model. She was terrific.

But she was hardly impressed as she recalled:

I had heard he was a ladies' man, and so I said, 'I'm not one of the ladies.’

When asked to give her phone number by Donald Trump, Melania suggested she’d write down his details instead. She reportedly believed that you can tell a lot about a man's intentions by the number he gives you - whether it's his office number or personal. She told GQ in an interview in 2016:

I wanted to see what his intention is.

It tells you a lot from the man what kind of number he gives you. He gave me all of his numbers.

What happened next?

After that, it is revealed in her memoir Melania, that she went on a modeling trip to the Caribbeans, and while she was there she couldn't stop thinking about Trump.

On 26 September 2024, Melania revealed what happened next during an exclusive interview she gave to Fox & Friends to promote her book. She told host Ainsley Earhardt:

When went on the first date, if you could call it a date.

Earhardt then chimed in to give more details from her book, and said:

You get in the car, and he drives you to Bedford, outside of the city and he wanted to show you a business or some property that he had.

So he was combining business with taking you on a first date.

Melania then talked about how it was really nice because the two of them 'were alone in the car' for over an hour and there was 'no other noise, no other people, because at that time he was already known and a celebrity.' When asked if that's the moment she fell in love with Trump, the former First Lady responded:

It was a connection.

Read more:

⋙ Melania Trump once granted visa for 'extraordinary abilities': What to know about her journey to the US

⋙ Melania Trump: Does the former US First Lady really speak six languages? Here's what we know

Sources used:

Mirror: 'How did Donald Trump meet wife Melania? President was on a date with another woman at the time'

GQ: Melania Trump on Her Rise, Her Family Secrets, and Her True Political Views: “Nobody Will Ever Know”

Melania's interview on Fox & Friends