Former President Donald Trump confirmed Melania’s mother Amalija Knavs, 78, is ‘very ill’ and the situation has been ‘tough’ for their family as the former first lady skipped New Year’s Eve celebrations.
He told an adoring crowd at a New Year’s Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago estate that Melania was absent because she is currently at her mother’s side at a nearby hospital.
‘Hopefully she’ll be recovering,’ the former president said after mentioning he had just gotten off the phone with Melania who is at a Miami hospital with her sick mother.`
‘It’s a tough one, a very tough one,’ Trump continued, saying Melania ‘sends her love’ to all the people gathered in Palm Beach, Florida.
‘She knows about 95 percent of the people in this room,’ he said, prompting cheers from the partygoers according to a video captured by one participant and posted to X.
The New Year’s Eve celebration included entertainment by Vanilla Ice, who performed his greatest hits on stage while Trump stood motionless behind his chair in the middle of the ballroom.
The singer was joined on stage by a performer dressed as Michelangelo the Ninja Turtle who danced next to him.
Trump poses with friends at Mar-a-Lago. Melania skipped the party as her mother is sick in a nearby hospital
The New Year’s Eve celebration included performances by Vanilla Ice and others
‘The New Year’s Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago was awesome. We danced we celebrated. We had a great time,’ he said afterward.
Trump’s close aide Walt Nauta – who is also embroiled in the legal case regarding alleged mishandling of classified documents within Mar-a-Lago – was seen standing next to the former president enjoying the spectacle.
The 2024 presidential contender also signaled that he plans to hit the ground running as early voting states Iowa and New Hampshire’s GOP caucuses and primaries begin later this month.
‘We are going to have a great 2024. We are going to make America Great Again!’
Trump’s confirmation that Melania’s mother is in poor health comes as the former first lady wasn’t in family Christmas images posted to social media.
Knavs has been sick in the hospital, according to multiple reports – and the former first lady was by her mother’s side instead of at Mar-a-Lago celebrating the holidays with her family.
Donald Trump Jr.’s fiancé Kimberly Guilfoyle posted a family photo to her Instagram story the day after Christmas including several members of the Trump family.
Immediately of notice was Melania’s absence from the image.
‘Melania has always been very devoted to her entire family,’ a source close to the former first lady told Fox News Digital. ‘It should be no surprise that she spent this Christmas with her ailing mother.’
Guilfoyle’s image posted on Tuesday evening saw a large chunk of the Trump crew in front of a Christmas tree at the ex-president’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
Melania’s father, Viktor Knavs, 79, was present in the photo.
Trump’s close aide Walt Nauta – who is also embroiled in the legal case regarding alleged mishandling of classified documents within Mar-a-Lago – was seen standing next to the former president enjoying the spectacle
The New Year’s Eve celebration included performances by Vanilla Ice and others
First lady Melania Trump’s parents Viktor and Amalija Knavs arrive at the White House in August 2019
Former President Donald Trump confirmed Melania ‘s mother Amalija Knavs, is ‘very ill’ and the situation has been ‘tough’ for their family
The picture also includes former President Donald Trump; his eldest son Don Jr. and fiancé Guilfoyle; the youngest Trump child Barron, 17; Tiffany Trump and husband Michael Boulos; and eldest daughter Ivanka with husband Jared Kushner and their three kids, Arabella, 12, Joseph, 10, and Theodore, seven.
The tallest of the bunch is Barron, who is seen standing several inches taller than his father, who is 6’3′.
Reports this month indicate that Melania, 53, will increase her public appearances the support her husband’s reelection bid.
It comes after the former first lady, an immigrant herself, appeared at the National Archives on December 15 for remarks at a naturalization ceremony. She also joined the other first ladies at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral last month – even though her husband did not attend with the other presidents.
Besides Melania, Eric Trump and wife Lara were also not in the group shot in front of the Mar-a-Lago Christmas tree posted on Tuesday.
Guilfoyle also posted a few images to her Instagram grid with her fiancé Don Jr., and the ex-president in front of the festive decorations at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and residence.
Melania Trump was not present in a family Christmas photo because she was taking care of her ailing mother, who is in the hospital, according to reports. Pictured: Melania and Donald Trump with Amalija Knavs, 78, on June 29, 2018
Don Jr.’s fiancé Kimberly Guilfoyle posted to her Instagram story a Trump family photo (above) with several members of the ex-president’s family at Mar-a-Lago the day after Christmas, including Barron Trump. Pictured far left: Melania’s father Viktor Knavs
Melania Trump made a rare public speech on December 15 for a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Her public appearances are expected to increase as her husband makes his bid for another term
Melania and Donald Trump arrive for Christmas Eve dinner with the former first lady’s parents Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs in West Palm Beach, Florida on December 24, 2019
Throwback: Trump poses with Melania and Barron and his parents-in-law Amalija and Viktor Knavs on Christmas 2008
While they did not spend Christmas Day together, half sisters Ivanka and Tiffany Trump joined the family celebration on December 25.
The two also showed off their festive spirits in jolly posts shared to their respective social media accounts.
Marla Maples, 60, who was married to Trump from 1993 to 1999, posted a photo of her and her daughter, Tiffany, 30, posing in front of a Christmas tree.
The mother-daughter duo donned an all-black look, wearing their hair loose as they beamed at the camera.
‘Merry Christmas, from our hearts to yours,’ Marla wrote on the post. ‘Love, Marla & Tiffany.’
Meanwhile, Ivanka shared some festive snaps to social media, posting a Christmas snap – as well as some throwback pics.
Former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle also posted to her Instagram on Tuesday, December 26 an image with fiancé Don Jr. and former President Donald Trump with the back drop of Mar-a-Lago Christmas decorations
Ivanka Trump, 42, husband Jared Kushner, 42, and their three kids – Arabella, 12, Joseph, 10, and Theodore, seven – were pictured with former President Trump on December 26
Sharing two pictures to her Instagram story, the second eldest child of Donald’s first wife Ivana and the president, showed off her smiling family celebrating the holidays.
In one picture, Ivanka, husband Jared Kushner, both 43, and their three kids — Arabella, 12; Joseph, 10; and Theodore, 7 — all posed with the former first daughter’s maternal grandmother as they celebrated Christmas lunch.
Ivanka also uploaded a photo of her family later in the evening, standing in front of an extravagant Christmas tree with her father the day after Christmas.
The family were dressed up for the celebration, with the mom-of-three simply adding a Merry Christmas gif to her Instagram story.
Ivanka, who converted to Judaism for husband Jared, posted on the first night of Hanukkah urging people to ‘bring light to the world’ amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.