Weird Things Everyone Ignores About Donald And Melania Trump's Relationship

The following article includes accusations of sexual assault.

Donald Trump was reelected in 2024, meaning the 45th president of the U.S. will also be the 47th president. That also means his wife, Melania Trump, will be first lady once more. But is that a position she's excited to return to?

During an October 2024 pre-election interview appearance on "Fox & Friends" shared to X, formerly known as Twitter, Melania's non-answer about being first lady a second time said it all. After being asked, "Do you want to be first lady again?" Melania replied, "I'm not anxious because this time is different. I have much more experience, much more knowledge." Melania also said she would be prepared for the gig and hire the best staff possible. However, her somewhat diplomatic statement did not make it clear whether or not she really wanted to step into the first lady's shoes again. And her first tweet after her husband's victory was less about her feelings and more about next steps.

No matter how Melania feels about the first lady position, she's got it for the next four years. But there are some weird things about her relationship with the former and future president that everyone seems to ignore.

Melania Trump is Donald Trump's third wife. First, he married Ivana Trump in April 1977, when he was 30 and she was 28. Then, after he had an affair with Marla Maples, Donald and Ivana got divorced. Donald and Maples later wed in December 1993, when he was 47 and she was 30. They split about four years later, and the year after, Donald met Melania. The future presidential couple married in January 2005, when he was 58 and she was 34. Funny how that age gap expanded more and more with each wife, going from three years to 17 years to 24 years.

In Melania's self-titled memoir, she dismissed the claims that she was interested in Donald for his money. Referencing her first meeting with Donald, Melania wrote, "I was already a thriving model, enjoying my success when our paths crossed. I had already earned my fortune and could easily have captured the attention of numerous celebrities if I had so desired." She also spoke about how she and Donald have bonded, citing a shared love of music and movies, along with trips to athletic events. Still, even if they do have common interests, 24 years is nothing to sneeze at.

Another odd thing about Melania Trump's relationship is that she's shared conflicting stories about her first date with Donald Trump. In a Harper's Bazaar interview from 2016, Melania explained how she refused to give Donald her number when they first met, since he was on a date with someone else. However, she got his various phone numbers and later called him. Melania reminisced about getting dinner with him in New York City and going to the Moomba nightclub for their first date. "Remember Moomba?" Melania said. "It was a great place, wasn't it? I remember that night like it was two months ago."

Eight years later, Melania told a different first date story. In a "Fox & Friends" interview about her book, Melania was asked what happened after she gave Donald a call. "We went to, on the first date, if you could call it a date," Melania said, explaining that he drove her to Bedford, New York to show her a place or property related to his business. "And it was very nice because we were two of us alone in the car for hour, hour and a half. And it's no other noise, no other people," Melania added. Perhaps Donald took her to dinner in the city after? Or did Melania forget which was the real first date due to it not being very memorable?

One of the GOP's biggest platforms is their pro-life stance. While campaigning for the 2024 election, Donald Trump confused the country when he initially made it sound like he would vote to repeal Florida's six-week abortion ban (Amendment 4). In a later Fox News interview, Donald said he didn't think six weeks was long enough, but confirmed he wasn't voting for the amendment. He shared disdain for abortions being performed in the ninth month of pregnancy, which isn't what the amendment was aiming for. Only 1% of abortions in the U.S. take place around or after 21 weeks of pregnancy, per KFF.

In Melania Trump's memoir, she made her pro-choice stance incredibly clear. Prior to its publication, The Guardian reported on an advance copy of "Melania." In the book, she admitted to disagreeing with Donald on some issues. Discussing reproductive rights, Melania wrote, "A woman's fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes." The former and future first lady also pointed out how abortions that take place later in pregnancy are usually due to health issues that are fatal for the fetus and possibly the mother too. "As a community, we should embrace these common-sense standards," Melania said. "Again, timing matters."

Donald is evidently tired of the discussion, because when pressed if he voted for Amendment 4, Donald said the reporter "should just stop talking about that" (via AP News).

The Trump family has been plagued by affair rumors. The cover up of Donald Trump's affairs with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal led to him being found guilty in his hush money trial. However, some of Donald's sexual encounters are reportedly not consensual. Writer Natasha Stoynoff accused Donald of attacking her when he grabbed and kissed her when she was at Mar-a-Lago in 2005 to interview him and Melania Trump. 

"We walked into that room alone, and Trump shut the door behind us," Stoynoff wrote in People in 2016. "I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat." Stoynoff claimed Donald told her they would engage in an affair, amongst other behaviors that made her uncomfortable.

Per Politico, Melania's lawyer wrote a letter demanding People take out the part of Stoynoff's piece where she claimed she ran into Melania and baby Barron Trump in New York months afterward. Melania also said they weren't friends like Stoynoff claimed. "We therefore demand that you immediately and permanently remove each of these statements from the Story, and print a prominent retraction and apology," the letter read. However, the letter didn't mention anything about the sexual assault Donald was accused of. Even while speaking to CNN, Melania didn't bring that up but said, "I was never friends with her, I would not recognize her" (via People).

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Although Melania Trump has metaphorically stood by Donald Trump, she physically has been mostly absent from the 2024 campaign trail. Donald tried to explain her missing presence in a Daily Mail interview, saying it was to protect her. But it seems she is also not fully on-board with the political lifestyle, because in June 2024, an insider spoke with Page Six and said, "Melania has made a deal with her husband that if he wins the presidency she will not have to be on first lady duty 24/7." They also said, "She's a hands-on mother, and is already planning to spend part of every month — and potentially every week — in NYC."

A few months later, it was confirmed that Barron Trump would be attending college at New York University. Following the election results, many still believe that Melania will keep her distance from the White House and first lady life, spending lots of time in Florida as well as New York instead. It's definitely odd that Melania is planning to continue her absence from her husband as he takes the next step in his controversial political career.