Book SummaryMelania, by Melania Trump

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Melania

In Melania, Melania Trump recounts her journey from growing up in Slovenia to becoming the first lady of the United States. She discusses the risks she took to succeed in her modeling and business career, her first encounter and budding romance with Donald Trump, and the dramatic shift of her life into the political spotlight.

(Shortform note: In this guide, we’ll refer to Melania Trump as Melania, and to Donald Trump as Trump.)

Melania first gained recognition as a successful model before becoming the first naturalized US citizen to become first lady of the United States. In addition to modeling, Melania launched jewelry and luxury skincare lines. Melania is her first book.

This guide offers a chronological summary of Melania’s life, emphasizing her priorities and reflections during her tenure as first lady from 2016 to 2020. In addition, we’ll provide context on the role of US first ladies, note several omissions in the memoir, and present multiple perspectives on key historical events.

Response to Melania

Melania was released on October 8, 2024, during the final months of Trump’s third presidential run, after his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. It’s common for former first ladies to publish memoirs after their time in the White House; however the timing of this memoir, arriving just weeks before the 2024 election, raised questions about its purpose. In her memoir, Melania declares her support for abortion rights, which some reviewers argue is either an assertion of independence from her husband or a move to obscure Trump’s anti-abortion policies ahead of the election. When asked about his wife’s stance at a campaign event, Trump stated that he hadn’t read the memoir, but had told Melania to just write “from her heart.”

Melania’s memoir was listed as #1 on Amazon ahead of its release date and was a New York Times best seller. The memoir sold 85,000 copies in its debut week, according to Circana Book Scan, in contrast to Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming, which sold 1.4 million copies in its first week and 11.5 million by the following year.

Growing Up

Melania Trump was born Melanija Knavs on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. Her father Viktor advanced from being a Yugoslavian Army driver to managing car dealerships, while her mother Amalija worked as an artist and patternmaker, which influenced Melania’s lifelong appreciation for fashion—a passion she shared with her older sister, Ines.

(Shortform note: Melania Knavs adopted the Germanized name Melania Knauss when she began her modeling career, later taking the name Trump when she got married. Her parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, kept their original Slovenian surname. Victor and Amalija Knavs became US citizens in 2018 through family-based immigration (known as “chain migration”)—a process their son-in-law Donald Trump sought to eliminate during his presidency. Until Amalija’s passing in January 2024 at age 78, the couple split their time between residences in Trump Tower in New York, Mar-a-Lago in Florida, and their house in Slovenia, with Viktor now continuing to live in the United States.)

Melania disputes portrayals of her childhood as bleak or deprived, describing it instead as happy and enriching. Despite growing up in Slovenia during a time marked by the remnants of communism and the Cold War, she says her childhood in the scenic town of Sevnica provided her with a stable environment and the opportunity to explore creativity and culture. Her family traveled to the Dalmatian coast of Croatia and other European countries, broadening her worldview. According to Melania, these early experiences, combined with her parents’ emphasis on hard work and dedication, laid the foundation for the values that would shape her life—creativity, commitment to family, and financial independence.

Historical Context: Slovenia

During Melania’s childhood in the 1970s and 1980s, Slovenia was part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, led by Josip Broz Tito. After World War II, Slovenia became Yugoslavia’s most prosperous region due to a distinct economic system called “socialist self-management,” introduced after a split from Soviet influence in 1948.

Unlike many other communist countries, this system allowed for some level of economic independence and cultural openness, making Slovenia relatively affluent and progressive. The period saw attempts to liberalize further, with movements pushing for more local autonomy and democratic freedoms. Despite existing tensions with the central Yugoslav government, these developments laid the groundwork for Slovenia’s eventual peaceful move toward independence in the early 1990s.

Melania’s Modeling Career

Melania writes that her modeling career began at a young age as she showcased her mother’s designs as a child on runways in Belgrade. However, as a teenager, she decided to pursue a formal education in industrial design at the Secondary School for Design and Photography in Ljubljana, a degree that combined her interests in art, graphic design, and fashion. Melania later switched her focus to becoming an architect.

(Shortform note: During Trump’s 2016 presidential...

Melania Summary ​​Exercise: Navigating Personal Values in Public Life

In her memoir, Melania articulates her pro-choice stance on abortion, emphasizing a woman’s right to make decisions about her body. However, this view conflicts with Trump administration policies and his campaign platform. This exercise guides you in reflecting on how to navigate the tension between...

Shortform Exercise: Crafting Your First Lady Initiative

First ladies have the opportunity to champion causes about which they’re passionate, as Melania did with the Be Best campaign. Imagine you have recently stepped into the role of first lady or first gentleman, and you have a unique platform to address important issues and make a lasting impact on the nation. This exercise will help you define a signature cause that aligns with your passions and the country's needs.

Reflect on your personal experiences, skills, and interests. What issue or cause do you feel most passionate about? Why does this matter to you?