How Donald Trump Really Feels About Melania's Slovenian Roots
Melania Trump was born in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) in 1970 and grew up in Sevnica, a small town of under 5,000. She was known as Melanija Knavs until she established her career and life as Melania Trump. When Melania first met Donald Trump in 1998, she didn't even want to give him her number, but from that rocky start, they went on to have a long-lasting relationship. They dated for seven years before tying the knot in 2005. The following year, the two welcomed Barron Trump.
After Donald won the 2016 presidential election, Melania's popularity soared in her hometown. A salami was even named after her, and a statue was commissioned in her honor. While Melania gained global attention, Donald has expressed conflicting feelings about his wife's background. He has never bothered to learn her language, even though their son was raised multilingual like his mother. This often leaves Trump feeling left out. As Mary Jordan, author of "The Art of Her Deal," told CBS News, "He has said it annoys him sometimes because he has no idea what they're saying." Melania's parents also speak Slovenian, contributing to the disconnect between Donald and the rest of the family.
Despite his frustration, he appreciates his wife's roots
Despite not understanding the language, a resurfaced clip that went viral on TikTok reveals how Donald Trump truly feels about his son's Slovenian accent. In the video, Donald says the accent is "great" and that "anything he does is okay with me." In the same clip, Melania expresses her pride in Barron's ability to speak three languages.
Donald showed more appreciation for his wife's home country in 2024 when he met Robert Golob, the prime minister of Slovenia, during the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Though it was a brief meeting, Golob's office stated, "The conversation between the two leaders took place in a friendly spirit, and U.S. President Trump did not hide his enthusiasm for the homeland of his wife and her family" (via Newsweek). Although Melania and Donald have their differences — including speaking different languages at times — it seems Donald has found ways to appreciate his wife's Slovenian roots.