Melania Trump’s mother Amalija Knavs dies age 78

Melania Trump has generally been keeping a low profile while her husband, former US President Donald Trump, has been in and out of court over his massively public fraud scandal. However, this has not stopped the notoriously loud politician from staying firmly within the public eye. Over the holidays, Melania was notably absent. Donald Trump Jr’s fiancé Kimberly Guifoyle posted a snap of the family at the Trump Palm Beach resort and fans noticed the former first lady wasn’t there. Trump confirmed that his wife’s absence was due to the failing health of her mother, Amalija Knavs.

Trump said it was ‘a very tough one’ for the family and wished his mother-in-law a speedy recovery during New Year’s Eve speech at Mar-a-Lago but sad news has followed since. Amalija passed away yesterday on Tuesday 9 January.

Amalija Knavs’ death

Melania is reportedly very close with her family, so it is not surprising that she decided to spend time with her mother while she was ill. Melania announced the news of Amalija's passing on Tuesday, writing on X:

It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija.

Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity. She was entirely devoted to her husband, daughters, grandson, and son-in-law. We will miss her beyond measure and continue to honor and love her legacy.

Trump also took to the platform to share:

This is a very sad night for the entire Trump family!!! Melania’s great and beautiful mother, Amalija, has just gone to a beautiful place in the sky. She was an incredible woman, and will be missed far beyond words!

The cause of Amalija’s death is yet to be revealed.

Who is Amalija Knavs?

Amalija was born in 1945 in Judendorf-Strassengel, Austria. After moving to Slovenia, then communist Yugoslavia, she spent her childhood harvesting onions on her family farm. Later on, she started working at a textile factory. It was in this job that Amalija met her husband, Viktor, with whom she went on to have two daughters: Ines and Melania. The two young women moved to Milan to launch their modelling careers. Melania moved to the US first in 1996, and her family followed suit. She sponsored her parents’ green cards and they became naturalised US citizens in 2018.

Having retired, Melania’s parents spent most of their time at Trump’s Palm Beach Club. The former first lady has said that her hardworking mother inspired her and introduced her to fashion and beauty. Meanwhile, her father instilled in her ‘a passion for business and travel’. The pair were unusually high profile for in-laws, and were often spotted at the White House as well as Mar-a-Lago.

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Sources used:

Mail Online: Melania Trump's mother Amalija dies aged 78: Former first lady mourns 'devoted' mom as Donald posts sweet picture with 'incredible woman'

Newsweek: Donald Trump Discusses Melania's Absence in New Year's Message