What We Know About Melania Trump's Close-Knit Relationship With Her Mom Amalija Knavs

After Donald Trump Jr.'s fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, posted a photo of the Trump family in front of a towering Christmas tree in late December 2023, people quickly noticed that the former first lady was missing from the photo that also included her son, Barron Trump, and all of Donald Trump's other children. A close source told Page Six that Amalija Knavs, Melania's mother, has been hospitalized with an undisclosed illness.

"Melania has always been very devoted to her entire family," another source told Fox News Digital (via Page Six). "It should be no surprise that she spent this Christmas with her ailing mother." Donald Trump addressed the situation at his New Year's Eve bash, saying that Melania and Amalija were in a nearby Miami hospital and that his mother-in-law's health problems were incredibly challenging for the Trump family, per the Daily Mail.

The former first lady has always spoken highly of her parents, thanking them in a speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention. She praised Amalija and Viktor Knavs' strong work ethic and determination to allow their daughters to move to the United States. "I want to take the moment to thank my mother and father for all that they have done for our family. It is because of you that I am standing here today," via CNN.