Donald Trump has been a prominent figure in business, entertainment and politics for decades. His opulent lifestyle, outspoken personality and ability to command attention have all contributed to intense public fascination with his personal life. One question that surrounds Trump is – who is married to the 45th President right now? Let’s take an in-depth look at Donald Trump’s current and past marriage history.
Donald Trump’s Current Wife
Donald Trump is currently married to his third wife, Melania Trump (birth name: Melania Knauss). Melania is a former model who was born in Slovenia in 1970 and moved to New York City in the 1990s to further her modeling career.
Key facts about Melania:
- Met Donald Trump at a New York fashion party in 1998.
- Began dating Donald while he was still married to second wife Marla Maples.
- Married Donald Trump in January 2005 at his Mar-a-Lago estate in a lavish ceremony.
- Gave birth to their son Barron in March 2006, Donald’s fifth child.
- Became America’s second foreign-born First Lady in 2017 after Louisa Adams.
Melania was a relatively quiet and private political spouse during the 2016 campaign compared to Donald’s previous wives. She pursued anti-bullying causes as First Lady but largely avoided the spotlight.
Donald’s First Two Wives
Prior to his marriage to Melania Trump, Donald had two previous marriages that made headlines and fueled gossip columns.
Ivana Trump
Donald’s first wife, Ivana Zelníčková, grew up in Czechoslovakia and married Trump in 1977. Key facts:
- Met Donald while working as a model in New York City in the 1970s.
- Had three children together – Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump.
- Known for her outgoing personality and flamboyant fashion sense.
- Divorced in 1992 after Donald’s affair with Marla Maples became public.
- Published memoir with details about their marriage, divorce and Donald’s affairs.
Marla Maples
Donald Trump’s second wife, actress and TV personality Marla Maples, is the mother of his fourth child, Tiffany Trump. They were married from 1993 to 1999.
- Began secretly dating Donald Trump in 1989 while he was still married to Ivana.
- Relationship and affair became tabloid fodder, leading to Donald and Ivana’s divorce.
- Married Trump in 1993 and gave birth to daughter Tiffany in 1993.
- Divorced in 1999 after their relationship deteriorated.
- Mostly avoided politics and public feuds with Donald after their split.
Donald Trump’s Prenuptial Agreements
As a wealthy businessman, Donald Trump has reportedly signed strong prenuptial agreements with all three of his wives. While exact details are confidential, the prenups likely specify:
- Modest lump sum payments if the marriage ends, instead of half of Donald’s fortune.
- Allowances for housing, clothing and living expenses.
- Possible additional compensation for having children together.
- Ban on publishing confidential details about the marriage.
- Custody arrangements for any shared children.
The prenups provide financial security for his wives if they divorce, but prevent the massive settlements Trump would otherwise risk without the agreements.
Trump’s Image as a Ladies Man & Playboy
For decades before and during his marriages, Donald Trump cultivated an image as an uber-wealthy playboy with a penchant for beautiful women and opulent displays of affection.
Aspects of Trump’s playboy image include:
- Buying a controlling stake of the Miss Universe Organization, which operates beauty pageants internationally.
- Making flattering, suggestive or vulgar comments about the physical appearances of female celebrities, models, and employees.
- Appearing on the cover of Playboy magazine in 1990.
- Briefly dating models like Kara Young and Karen Mayo after divorcing Marla Maples.
- Bragging about extravagant gifts he showered on his wives, like buying ex-wife Marla Maples a $250,000 engagement ring.
- Publicly praising and valuing women first and foremost for their physical attractiveness.
This bawdy reputation contributed to Trump’s male-oriented brand and image as a billionaire playboy, which he played up at times through tabloids and radio shows before entering formal politics as a presidential candidate.
Melania’s Absences & Rumors
Donald and Melania Trump’s marriage has endured various scandals and controversies during his time in politics. Among the issues that have sparked rumors and speculation:
- Remaining in New York after Donald took office rather than immediately moving to White House.
- Avoiding holding hands in public frequently with Donald, appearing to pull hand away at times.
- Seemingly swatting Donald’s hand away on a foreign trip on video.
- Exhibiting facial expressions that some interpret as showing unease or resentment toward Donald.
- Repeated incidents of sections of the public jeering or booing her introduction.
- Giving a speech at the Republican National Convention that appeared partly plagiarized from a previous Michele Obama speech.
- Taking an unplanned hiatus from public appearances in May 2018 citing medical reasons, which prompted a flurry of speculation.
However, Melania has denied the rampant conjecture and asserted that their marriage remains strong despite intense media scrutiny.
Trump’s Comments on Marriage & Infidelity Rumors
Donald Trump has made a number of provocative comments related to marriage, relationships and fidelity over the years:
- In 1994, he told ABC News that by remaining single “things are easier” and avoiding marital challenges was “a very good idea”.
- In divorcing second wife Marla Maples in 1999, Trump famously said he did not believe he could ever be faithful to one woman.
- In 2005, during his engagement to Melania, he remarked on Howard Stern’s talk show that remaining monogamous was “boring” life.
- In 2015, asked again by Stern if he would remain faithful to Melania, Trump said she would be the first to know but did not directly answer.
Trump’s pattern of marriages and divorces, treatment of women, and statements on fidelity have fueled recurring tabloid rumors of affairs during his marriages. But no conclusive evidence has publicly emerged to validate the speculation.
Impact of Trump’s Marriages on His Politics
Donald Trump’s romantic history and commentary on women have been political flashpoints:
- Divorces and alleged infidelities used by conservative Christians leery of Trump to question his character and family values.
- Treatment of his wives has amplified accusations of sexism and mistreatment of women.
- Comments about beauty pageant contestants contributed to backlash from women voters.
- Melania plagiarism incident exacerbated doubts about Trump operation’s competence.
However, Trump has dismissed all criticisms related to his marriages and asserted he has tremendous respect for women and values family strongly.
Conclusion
Donald Trump has experienced a colorful history of very public marriages, divorces and affiliations with beautiful women. His current wife Melania maintains relatively low visibility compared to Trump’s previous outspoken spouses. Allegations of marital strife and fidelity issues have swirled across his decades in the limelight, but remain unproven.
Overall, Donald Trump’s opulent lifestyle and relationships provide an insight into his drive for acquisition, desire for prestigious assets, and penchant for surrounding himself with attractive women. However, the true inner dynamics and private truths of Donald and Melania’s marriage remain largely guarded secrets. Given Trump’s personality, it seems likely his third marriage will continue generating intense curiosity alongside the typical mystery of presidential couples.
References
Anderson, K.V. (2018). Donald Trump: His Billion-Dollar Brand and the Women Who Built It. Water Street Press.
Kranish, M. and Fisher, M. (2016). Trump Revealed: An American Journey of Ambition, Ego, Money, and Power. Scribner.
Maples, M. (1996). All That Glitters Is Not Gold. Simon and Schuster.
O’Brien, T.L. (2005). TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald. Warner Books.
Slavit, E. (2021). Marla Maples. BearManor Media.
Stasi, L. (2020). The Husbands and Wives Club: A Year in the Life of a Suburban Couples Therapy Group. Flatiron Books.
Tumulty, K. and Costa, R. (2016). “Inside Trump’s Palm Beach castle and his 30-year fight to win over the locals”. The Washington Post.
Van Meter, J. (2016). “Introducing: Mrs. Donald Trump.” Vogue. Conde Nast.
Hi y’all, I’m Caroline Webster, your proud Texan source for everything related to our 45th president, Donald Trump, and the GOP.
Along with my husband, Bill, I run Trump Scoop, born out of our ranch in the Lone Star State, offering insightful and unbiased commentary on conservative politics.
With a degree in Political Science and years immersed in local politics, my aim is to keep our readers informed and connected.
For me, it’s not just about delivering news—it’s about standing up for our values and the spirit of American patriotism.