Amalija Knavs, the mother of former First Lady Melania Trump, died at age 78 on January 9, 2024, according to a statement released by Melania on social media. In her statement, Melania characterized her mother as a “strong woman” who exemplified “grace, warmth, and dignity,” and stated that her loss would be profoundly felt by the family.
The exact cause of Knavs’ death is yet to be announced. Reports indicate that she had been in poor health for a while. Last week, former President Donald Trump informed attendees of a New Year’s Eve celebration that his wife was with her ailing mother in a Miami, Florida hospital.
Amalija Knavs was born in 1945 in Slovenia, then a part of Communist Yugoslavia. She worked in a textile factory and was married to Viktor Knavs, a car salesman. Together, they raised their daughter Melania in the industrial town of Sevnica. Melania Knavs adopted the name Knauss when she embarked on her modeling career.
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former senior aide to Melania Trump and author of “Melania and Me,” noted the close bond between Melania and her Slovenian mother. Wolkoff highlighted Melania’s commitment to her parents and offered prayers for Amalija.
The Knavs family relocated to the United States, establishing permanent residency before becoming U.S. citizens in 2018. Melania Trump sponsored their immigration application. The timing of their citizenship grant, during Donald Trump’s presidency, sparked debates due to his criticism of the family reunification process, colloquially known as “chain migration.”
Amalija and Viktor Knavs lived quietly in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, during their later years. Their low-profile American life contrasted sharply with their daughter’s highly visible role during the Trump presidency.
Melania Trump moved to the United States in 1996, settling in New York. She met Donald Trump, then a businessman, in 1998 and became his third wife in 2005. Melania Trump’s journey from Slovenia to the United States and her subsequent role as First Lady has been a subject of public interest, intertwining her personal story with broader themes of immigration and American politics.
The death of Amalija Knavs brings to a close the journey of an immigrant mother who saw her daughter rise to prominence in American society. Her life, from her early days in a Slovenian textile factory to seeing her daughter become the First Lady of the United States, intersected with significant historical and political events.
No further details regarding Amalija Knavs’ passing have been released by the Knavs family at this time.
