Inside Melania Trump's Lavish Life
Many people in the world have lots of money, and many families in the world are interesting to the general public, but few people have as much money, and few families are as interesting as the Trumps. Led by former president Donald J. Trump, the Trump name has been associated with wealth and luxury for decades. From his estates across the country to his vehicles and affinity for indulgent sports like golf and boxing, Donald has always taken an interest in things that are on the spendier side.
Another thing that costs Donald quite a bit of money is providing for his family, particularly his wife, Melania Trump. Melania, a former model, has been married to Donald since 2005, and even before their marriage, the entrepreneur was supplying her with a life most people only dream of. Beautiful homes, fancy clothing, unreal jewels — all of these and more are part of Melania's life. And as they've built their life together, things have stayed just as luxurious for the former first lady. Take a look inside Melania Trump's lavish life.
Melania Trump stays at luxurious resorts across the world
Being married to a man who's made his money in real estate and luxury hotels has its perks, with being able to stay at beautiful properties around the world chief among them. Melania Trump's husband, Donald Trump, owns hotels in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, and more, and both he and Melania have been spotted staying at them from time to time. Owning hotels around the world proved useful during Donald's presidency, too. In 2019, Donald and Melania spent some time at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Doonbeg in Doonbeg, Ireland, while on a state tour around Europe.
Melania's taste for luxury hotels has gotten her into hot water in the past. In November 2018, it was reported that Melania had cost American taxpayers nearly $100,000 while on a trip to Cairo, Egypt, with some reports suggesting the bill could've been due to the high price of renting the presidential suite for the night. However, the claim that Melania had spent the night was refuted by Stephanie Grisham, Melania's then-press secretary, who said she was only in Egypt for six hours. No matter how long Melania was in Cairo, she racked up a hefty tab, showing that it isn't cheap for the former first lady to travel.
Her husband owns a private jet
Whenever Melania Trump wants to get back and forth between her and her husband's luxurious resorts, all she needs to do is hop on Donald Trump's private aircraft. The real estate mogul has had the title to multiple private airborne vehicles throughout his life, including a Cessna Citation X and a Sikorsky S76 helicopter. The crown jewel of Trump Aviation, however, is the custom Boeing 757. This plane features Italian leather seats, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, a dining room, and a conference room. When asked in an interview about her husband's private jet, Melania confirmed that she is a frequent passenger, too. "A 757. Yes, it's beautiful, it's very comfortable. We are on the go all the time. Our schedule is very busy from business, from social, from charity work, everything, so we are always on the go," Melania told Jetset Magazine.
As first lady, though, Melania took a break from flying on the 757, opting instead for Air Force One when traveling with Donald. The break from what the family calls "Trump Force One" lasted beyond the end of Donald's presidential term, though, as the aircraft had to undergo repairs. "[The 757] is now being fully restored and updated and will be put back into service sometime prior to the end of the year," Donald announced in 2021 (via Business Insider).
Melania Trump has multiple homes
When Melania Trump is tired from all her travels, she can lay her head down at one of her and her husband's many abodes. Throughout his career, Donald Trump has amassed many properties for himself, his wife, and his children to call home, one of them being his Mar-a-Lago estate. This Palm Beach property is either famous or infamous, depending on who's asked, but what is certain is that it's worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Donald and Melania have spent much of their time there since leaving the White House, and no one would ever have to leave if they didn't want to. It's got a spa, dining area, shopping, and more all on the property.
Long before Mar-a-Lago was the Trumps' primary residence, the couple was known for their penthouse at Trump Towers in New York City. The home is famously gilded in every room, and it's got a view of Central Park. "It's beautiful. You kind of get used to it, but still, you know, especially now, it's beautiful," Melania said to DuJour of the view from her Manhattan home. But before Melania was married to a billionaire, she was paying for her own apartment. "The rent was $2,500 a month. I picked it out, everything on my own. I still remember, I went to shop for a TV and an air conditioner. I bought furniture ... I went to Crate & Barrel. Does that still exist or no?" she said.
She has a lavish wardrobe
Melania Trump has access to some of the most beautiful and expensive pieces of clothing in the world. The former first lady has always been noted for her style, and it was of particular interest to the public during her husband's term as president. In 2017, Trump's stylist, Hervé Pierre, was asked where he found the former model's clothing. "My favorite place to shop — actually, there is none because each time it's a good experience. I go to Bergdorf, I go to Saks. Michael Kors, Dior," Pierre told The New York Times. And Pierre was careful to choose the right pieces. "What is challenging is when I cannot say what it is for. I always ask: 'Was it already on the red carpet? Did somebody already wear it?' Because I don't want her to be on the 'Who Wore It Better' list," he said.
Certain purchases of Trump's garnered her criticism as first lady. Near the beginning of her husband's term, Trump was spotted in Italy wearing a Dolce & Gabanna coat that cost over $50,000. Another one of her pricier ensembles included a Delpozo dress that cost nearly $3,000 and a Gucci coat that cost nearly $5,000. Still, none of that even touches the price of her wedding dress, which totaled nearly $100,000.
Melania Trump owns several expensive vehicles
Who knows how often Melania Trump gets behind the wheel, but whenever she does, she has loads of luxurious options. The former first lady has been collecting a fleet of vehicles since she first married Donald Trump, one of the most notable being the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren he gifted her when she was pregnant with their son, Barron Trump. These high-priced cars were only manufactured from 2003 to 2010, and the prices range anywhere from $300,000 to more than $800,000. The Trumps also own a Rolls-Royce, and the family famously took a ride in the car before Donald became president, Taylor Swift blasting through the speakers.
Although the vehicles Melania was riding in before her husband took office were quite nice, likely none were as safe as the Cadillac limousine she and Donald were transported in while in the White House. "The Beast," as it's called, was custom-built, and it features bullet-proof windows, an armored exterior, protection from a chemical attack, and more security measures. "This vehicle, a 2018 Cadillac, continues the Secret Service's legacy of providing state-of-the-art technology and performance to its protective mission," a Secret Service agent wrote in an email to the Detroit Free Press.
Her designer shoe collection is worth more than a luxury car
A wardrobe isn't complete without shoes for every occasion, and Melania Trump has enough pairs of shoes to complete several wardrobes. The former model has a shoe collection reportedly worth more than $100,000, making her footwear more valuable than a luxury vehicle (though perhaps not any of the luxury vehicles she owns). Some of Melania's favorite brands include Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik, both of which generally retail for about $1,000 per pair of shoes. "I love shoes. I always have a favorite pair of shoes but it's always changing. I like to change it up with the outfit. I like to match the shoes and coat so you still look chic and elegant even if you wear jeans," Melania told Refinery29 in an interview.
Fans of Melania often praise the former first lady for her fashion choices, but critics are often more... well, critical. In 2017, while en route to Texas with her husband, Donald Trump, to visit with victims of Hurricane Harvey, Melania was spotted wearing Manolo Blahnik heels on her way to board the plane, critics labeling her footwear as highly inappropriate. The story caught so much steam that the designer of the shoes spoke out. "Possibly she was just wearing the shoes she left New York in," Blahnik said to Harper's Bazaar UK, as reported by Teen Vogue. "She could have worn Hunter boots but she was wearing what she was wearing."
Melania Trump has a high-priced stylist
It's not cheap for Melania Trump to get dressed. In addition to having to pay for the clothes she wears, she also has to pay a stylist. Melania has been working with her stylist, Hervé Pierre, since her husband began his campaign for the 2016 presidential election. Pierre and Melania continued their professional relationship throughout Donald Trump's presidency, and after Donald left office, Pierre confirmed that he would remain part of Melania's team. "As with every other first lady, there is an after-the-White House life, which involves many other aspects than fashion. I am lucky to have worked in prestigious houses, to have designed [costumes] for ballets and more recently to work in home decor. There are many upcoming projects in this after-the-White House [stage]," Pierre told WWD.
As noted, paying Pierre requires lots of cash. According to Save America (a PAC helping fund Donald's 2024 presidential bid) campaign finances reported by the FEC, the PAC paid Pierre $18,000 six separate times in 2023, totaling $108,000. When asked about this, Melania's team said that Pierre had been working with the former first lady in multiple capacities. "It's a great honor for me, and it is very creative to give my viewpoint on some of these projects," Pierre said. Whatever it is Pierre's doing for Melania, it's certainly expensive.
She sends her son to a swanky school
Having access to billions of dollars usually means you're sending your children to the best schools imaginable. Such is the case for Melania Trump. Melania's only biological child, Barron Trump, began attending Oxbridge Academy, a private school near Mar-a-Lago, in 2021. The tuition costs $34,000 for middle schoolers and $41,500 for high schoolers, and students are required to supply their own Apple laptop for learning. There are scholarships available for students, but considering his parents' financial status, it's unlikely Barron qualifies.
Barron has never been a typical child. He was born into one of the most famous families in New York City (and the world), grew up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, spent part of his childhood living in the White House, and then started classes at a ritzy high school in Florida. But guessing from how Melania described him as a child, Barron probably navigated it well. "He's not a sweatpants child," Melania told ABC News when Barron was seven years old. "He doesn't mind putting on [a suit] – but not every day — and he likes to dress up in a tie sometimes like Daddy," she said. Melania has also ensured Barron learned one skill in particular: he's fluent in Slovenian, just like she is.
Melania Trump found great success on QVC
As a professional, Melania Trump is best known for her modeling career, but the former first lady has had success in business, too. In the early 2010s, Melania designed a line of jewelry for QVC, the television shopping network. The model had necklaces, bracelets, rings, and more available for affordable prices, and the pieces sold out repeatedly. According to Melania, designing jewelry is a passion of hers. "Well, I always say you need to do whatever your passion is, whatever you love to do. I studied architecture and design, and it's always in me to design, to sketch, to bring ideas to life, and that's what I did with my jewelry line," she told Jetset Magazine.
The former first lady did this all with the support of her husband. "She's got an amazing sense of design and an amazing level of intelligence. She's got great ability, and I want her to run with it," Donald Trump told The New York Times of his wife's work on QVC. The real luxury, however, is Melania's personal jewelry collection. Melania has a very high-priced trove of jewels, including her 25-carat diamond engagement ring that cost Donald $1.5 million.
She's earned millions on her own through her modeling career
Although Melania Trump wouldn't own a Boeing 757 or have access to every Trump property in the world without her husband, she'd still be able to live a luxurious life. Melania is independently wealthy, and she was before she met Donald Trump. Melania is worth a reported $50 million on her own, much of which comes from her former work as a model. Prior to meeting and early on in her relationship with Donald, Melania was either on the cover of or featured in nearly every high-profile magazine fathomable, including Vogue, GQ, and Harper's Bazaar, with much of her work involving modeling clothing. "I always loved fashion. My mother was a fashion designer, so it was always in my blood ... I traveled around the world and had the great modeling career," Melania told People of her passion and career.
According to people who knew Melania when she was young, the former model was always striving to live a better life. "She tried to find opportunities and took them," a former classmate of Melania, Damijan Kracina, told The New York Times. After growing up in communist Slovenia, Melania left her home country behind in search of a successful career in the United States, and she found it.
Melania Trump is married to the wealthiest president in American history
Funding Melania Trump's lifestyle is no easy feat – clearly, it costs a lot of money. But luckily for her, she's married to a very wealthy man. In fact, Melania's husband, Donald Trump, has the unique distinction of being the wealthiest president in American history. As of October 2023, Forbes had Donald's net worth estimated to be $2.6 billion. According to a report run by 24/7 Wall St., which adjusted former American presidents' net worths for inflation, by today's standards, the four next-wealthiest presidents behind Donald would be John F. Kennedy, worth $1.1 billion; George Washington, worth $708 million; and Thomas Jefferson, worth $285 million.
According to Melania, marrying her husband had nothing to do with his wealth. "I didn't know much about Donald Trump. I had my life. I had my world. I didn't follow Donald Trump and what kind of life he had," Melania told GQ in a 2016 interview. And Donald doesn't seem to worry too much about Melania, either. "She doesn't need to be out there [to get interviewed]. She has confidence. She has a lot of self-confidence," Trump said to Megyn Kelly (via Newsweek).