Who Is Melania Trump's Sister, Ines Knauss?

Melania Trump has led both a very public and a very private life. The Slovenian-born beauty began building a path of fame for herself when she pursued a career as an international model but truly became a household name when she married Donald Trump in 2005. When he was elected President of the United States in 2016 with Melania on his arm, the world wanted to know even more about the woman who would be residing in the White House with her husband.

While the First Lady made the requisite appearances and didn't shy away from the cameras while walking red carpets and attending galas, she did hold portions of her life away from the public eye. She was protective of her son, Barron Trump, and also of other family members like her sister, Ines Knauss.

Growing up together in Slovenia, the siblings have moved together across oceans and from country to country, keeping their family relationship tight. Despite spending a great deal of time with each other, Knauss has managed to stay mostly out of the spotlight, with Melania coveting their private sister time. There have, however, been moments when the two shared their affection for each other with the rest of the world.

Born in 1970 in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, as Melanija Knavs, former First Lady Melania Trump joined her older sister, Ines Knavs, as the daughters of the family. Both sisters were raised by their parents, and both changed their last names to Knauss when they struck out on their own. When Melania was 17, she was approached by a photographer who told her she could be a model, and in 1992, she placed in a national beauty pageant, blasting her modeling career into a full-time endeavor.

When Melania set out for Milan in the early '90s to grow her career, Knauss made the move to Italy with her sister. And when the young model signed with Paolo Zampolli's modeling agency and made the move to New York City in 1996, Knauss again accompanied her younger sibling. At the wedding of Donald Trump and Melania, the bride made Knauss her maid of honor. "Mrs. Trump and her sister are very close," a spokesperson for Melania told Page Six. 

In New York, Knauss took a Trump-owned apartment on the Upper East Side, just a few short blocks from where Melania lived in her Trump Tower abode. The eldest sister never made any appearances in support of her brother-in-law's political career, but she did pop up in a speech at the July 2016 Republication National Convention, when, according to CNN, Melania described Ines as "an incredible woman and a friend."

While sisters Ines Knauss and Melania Trump were both interested in fashion, Melania made the jump to wearing high-end clothing in front of the camera, while Ines preferred to stay far behind the camera, in the sewing room. Knauss was interested in a design career, and studied both fashion and industrial design in Slovenia, even traveling to Finland for a special design workshop in Helsinki. She's shared articles about her fashion exhibitions, as well as write-ups about her talent on social media. 

Along with her ability to draw gowns and other design items, Knauss also has a talent for other forms of artwork, including abstract painting. Sister Melania has boasted about her sibling's talent, Tweeting a copy of a pencil sketch along with the caption, "art of gossip #courtesy of #artist ines knauss."

In addition to her artwork, Knauss seems to have taken it upon herself to be the family historian. She regularly posts to Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly known as Twitter, old family photos that show off her ancestors, her parents, and her sister, including the one above featuring Melania at age 7, dad Viktor, and Knauss at age 9. She's also cataloged several of Melania's transformations throughout her modeling days, including a billboard for Camel cigarettes, and the cover of Ocean Drive. As for her brother-in-law, Donald Trump is in a photo or two as well — although only when accompanied by her beloved sister, or her nephew Barron Trump.