Melania Trump on Meeting Donald: “I Had My Life. I Didn’t Care About His.”

In 1998, Melania Trump met Donald Trump at a fashion week party at the Kit Kat Club, organized by Paolo Zampolli, the founder of ID Models. Despite Donald arriving with another woman, he still attempted to get Melania’s phone number while his date was in the bathroom. Reflecting on that moment, Melania noted, “I knew who he was, but I didn’t know about his life, about what was going on. I had my life. I didn’t care about his. I wasn’t starstruck,” as reported by Dujour.

Melania’s independence has always been a defining characteristic, something she has maintained even after becoming a public figure. Despite her fame, she has consistently avoided the spotlight. She asserted, “I have a life. I go out every day. I bring my son to school. I pick him up. I’m not an attention seeker. I’m not the one who calls paparazzi, ‘I have lunch with the girlfriends, and I’m going to this restaurant.’”

Being with someone as famous as Donald Trump came with its own set of challenges, a reality Melania was well aware of. “When you walk into a room, everybody knows the person. Sometimes people see you with that man and maybe they know more about the man, and they judge you or see you differently. You need to know who you are and you need to be very secure. You need to stand up for yourself. You need to have your own yes and no,” she explained.

Throughout her relationship with Donald, Melania has been clear about maintaining her identity while supporting her husband. In a 2015 interview with ABC News, she emphasized, “We have great chemistry, and to be with a man like my husband, you need to know who you are. You need to have a very independent life and support him, you need to be very smart and quick, and be there for him when he needs you.”

When asked what Donald admires most about her, Melania confidently replied, “I’m my own person. I’m not a yes person. So I tell it as it is. I told my opinions, and I was always like that. So I think he likes that.” Before Donald announced his first run for the presidency, Melania understood the challenges that lay ahead.

“I said to him, ‘You really need to think because our family life will change.’ The three of us will change. I know what it takes, traveling and all that stuff. I told him if he really wanted to do that, I would support him 100 percent. But I would also be a mom first. I would be with our son, I would be home. Our son needs parents, and I don’t want somebody other than me taking care of him.

We made that decision. It’s a big decision [to run], and a selfless decision. To go into that is very selfless because of what we’re going through,” Melania remarked. Melania Trump’s approach to her life with Donald reflects a deep sense of independence and a commitment to her family, even as she navigates the complexities of being in the public eye.