Melania Trump’s mother passes away aged 78

MIAMI: Amalija Knavs, mother of Melania Trump, died at the age of 78, the former first lady announced on social media.

“It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija,” Trump wrote in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity.  She was entirely devoted to her husband, daughters, grandson, and son-in-law. We will miss her beyond measure and continue to honor and love her legacy,” the statement continued.

The news comes after Donald Trump used his New Year’s Eve event at Mar-a-Lago to acknowledge his wife’s absence from family gatherings during the holiday season, telling the crowd she was attending to her mother.

“Melania — great first lady, so popular, the people love her — she’s now in a hospital with her mother. Her mother, Amalija, is very ill, but hopefully she’ll be recovering,” the former president said.

Trump continued: “But she’s been very ill, so I just want to say ‘hello’ to the first lady — we just spoke, down in Miami, great hospital — and hopefully they’ll be ok. But it’s a tough one, it’s a very tough one. She knows probably about 95% of the people in this room. We just want to wish Amalija that she gets better as quickly as possible.”

Melania maintained a close relationship with her mother and her father, Viktor Knavs, 79. The Knavses had both been living at Mar-a-Lago in recent years, where the former first lady and the former president also reside.

Both Viktor and Amalija were sworn in as US citizens at federal court in New York City in August 2018, during Trump’s presidency. The couple hail from present-day Slovenia, where Melania was born April 1970. Amalija is a former textile worker and Viktor a former car dealer.