Donald Trump has paid tribute to his mother-in-law Amalija Knavs, whose death aged 78 was announced on Tuesday.
The former president said Melania’s mother was ‘an incredible woman’.
‘This is a very sad night for the entire Trump family!!! Melania’s great and beautiful mother, Amalija, has just gone to a beautiful place in the sky. She was an incredible woman, and will be missed far beyond words!’
He then shared a photo of himself standing with Amalija.
Melania, 53, said earlier on Tuesday that her mother had died.
‘It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija,’ she said.
Melania missed most of the Christmas and New Year celebrations at Mar-a-Lago to care for her ailing mother.
‘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.’
Melania did not reveal a cause of death, but former president Donald Trump said on New Year’s Eve she was ‘very ill’ and the impact was ‘tough’ on the family.
Former First Lady Melania Trump ‘s mother Amalija Knavs, 78, has died after being hospitalized in Miami, Florida, over the holidays. She is pictured center with her daughter and Donald Trump in 2018
Knavs was a textile factory dealer in her native Slovenia when she met husband Viktor. The pair then moved to the U.S. and have been by Melania’s side during her career from modeling to the East Wing. She is pictured with her daughter in 2004
Knavs was born in 1945 in Judendorf-Strassengel, Austria before moving to Slovenia when it was still under communist rule.
She spent her humble childhood harvesting onions on her family farm before starting working at a textile factory, which is where she met husband Viktor.
They welcomed their first daughter, Ines – who now lives in Manhattan – in 1968, and two years later the couple had Melania, who always said she was inspired by her hardworking mother.
The sisters both moved to Milan to launch their modeling careers, and Melania first came to the United States in 1996.
She obtained a green card in 2001 and became a naturalized citizen in 2006.
The couple then moved to the U.S. – it is unclear when – and were by Melania’s side during her career from modeling to the East Wing.
They were retired and spent most of their time living at their son-in-law’s palatial Palm Beach Club.
‘My elegant and hardworking mother Amalija introduced me to fashion and beauty,’ said Melania, in her speech to the Republican National Convention in 2016.
‘My father, Viktor, instilled in me a passion for business and travel. Their integrity, compassion and intelligence reflect to this day on me and for my love of family and America.’
The Knavs became naturalized U.S. citizens in August 2018, after Melania sponsored their green card.
They had to have received their green card five years before, to qualify for citizenship – meaning they obtained their green cards in 2013.
It was a process her husband criticized as ‘chain migration’ while he was in the White House.
Even as his in-laws were going through the process, Trump was denouncing it.
In November 2017, he tweeted, ‘CHAIN MIGRATION must end now! Some people come in, and they bring their whole family with them, who can be truly evil. NOT ACCEPTABLE!’
The Knavs were unusually high profile for in-laws, and were frequently seen at the White House and at Mar-a-Lago.
At the annual Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve party, the former president confirmed Melania’s mother was ‘very ill’ and was initially positive about her recovery.
He told an adoring crowd assembled at his Mar-a-Lago estate that Melania was absent because she was at her mother’s side at a nearby hospital.
‘Hopefully she’ll be recovering,’ the former president said.
‘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, in a video posted to X.
Throwback: Trump poses with Melania and Barron and his parents-in-law Amalija and Viktor Knavs on Christmas 2008
Left to right, Eric Trump, Viktor Knavs, Amalija Knavs, and Donald Trump pose for a group portrait at the Mar-a-Lago club in 2006
Amalija and her husband Viktor walk into the White House in August 2019. The pair met in their native Slovenia before moving to the United States
Amalija Knavs greets her son-in-law Trump as he walks through the crowd at the White House Easter Egg Roll in April 2018
Donald Trump Jr.’s fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle posted a family photo to her Instagram story the day after Christmas including several members of the Trump family.
Melania’s absence from the image was immediately noticed.
‘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 her Instagram story 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, 79, was present in the photo.
Donald Trump confirmed Amalija Knavs (pictured with husband Viktor in 2018) was ‘very ill’ over Christmas and Melania was at her bedside
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
The picture also includes former President Donald Trump; his eldest son Don Jr. and fiancée 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.
Eric Trump and wife Lara were also not in the group shot in front of the Mar-a-Lago Christmas tree.
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 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
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 photo – 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 adding a Merry Christmas gif to her Instagram story.