After two years without giving interviews Melania talks about her first date with Donald Trump and the attacks

The former first lady of the United States, Melania Trump, gave her first interview in two years, revealing never-before-shared details about her personal life, her time in the White House, and her relationship with Donald Trump. In a conversation with Fox News, Melania reflected on her first date with the former president and how a modeling career prepared her for the challenges of being the First Lady.

First date: Business and romance

Melania, 54, fondly recalled her first meeting with Donald Trump, an event that occurred during New York Fashion Week in 1998, at a party at the Kit Kat Club. At the time, Melania Knauss, a young immigrant model from Slovenia, resisted giving Trump her phone number, despite his insistence.

However, they began talking on the phone while she was in the Caribbean for a modeling shoot. Upon her return to New York, the couple arranged their first date. But unlike conventional dinners, Donald Trump decided to take her on an hour-and-a-half trip to Bedford, N.J., to inspect a property he wanted to buy. "He was combining business with taking [me] on a first date," Melania joked during the interview. Although unusual, she described the experience as intimate, noting that they enjoyed a private conversation without interruptions.

"At that time, he was already known and a celebrity. So it was really nice to be just two of us," she commented.

Marriage proposal and family life

Melania also revealed details about Donald Trump's marriage proposal, which occurred on her birthday in 2004, the same day as the famous Met Gala. "It was all in one," she recalled, describing the moment as special and perfectly coordinated with the festive atmosphere of the evening.

Reflections on being first lady

Melania, known for her low profile and reserved nature, stressed that her modeling career prepared her to be the First Lady. "Nothing prepared me more for this world than fashion," she said, stressing how that experience made her develop a "thick skin" to face criticism and public pressure.

In addition, the former first lady expressed her closeness with other first ladies, such as Brigitte Macron of France and former Japanese first lady, Akie Abe.

Life after the White House and support for Trump

Although Melania has kept a low-key profile since leaving the White House, she reiterated her support for the political ambitions of her husband, Donald Trump, who remains immersed in the 2024 presidential campaign. "I support him. I know how passionate he is to make America great again," she said.

Despite not attending many of her husband's public events, including her absence from the presidential debates, Melania stressed that she has always supported his efforts to improve the country. In addition, she expressed her concern about the "toxic atmosphere" that she said has fueled political violence and assassination attempts against Donald Trump.

The assassination attempts against Donald Trump

Melania also shared her memories of the assassination attempts against her husband. In particular, she recalled how she learned about the attack on Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July, when a gunman shot the former president in the ear.

"I ran to the TV, and I rewind it. And I watched it," Melania said, describing her reaction to seeing footage showing Trump on the ground. "was only a few minutes behind... But when I saw it... nobody really knew yet because when you see him on the floor and you don't know, you don't know what really happened."

She also referred to the second attack on the former president, which occurred this month, when a gunman was discovered hiding in the bushes at one of Trump's golf courses in Florida. Melania considered both events as miraculous: "I think something was watching over him. It's almost like country really needed him."

Next steps for Melania

The interview, which was conducted ahead of the launch of her book Melania, shows a personal side of the former first lady and offers a new perspective on the challenges she has faced alongside her husband.

The new book promises to offer more details about her life before, during and after her time in the White House, which has generated buzz in the American political and media landscape.