Melania Trump’s mother Amalija Knavs dies aged 78, former first lady says ‘will miss her beyond measure’

“Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity,” Melania Trump wrote on social media

Published on: Jan 10, 2024, 10:36:39 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Former first lady Melania Trump’s mother, Amalija Knavs, has died at the age of 78. Amalija had been ill for some time.

Amalija Knavs has died at the age of 78 (REUTERS)

Taking to X, Melania announced the sad news, writing, “It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija. 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.”

The news comes after former president Donald Trump announced at his New Year's Eve event at Mar-a-Lago that his wife has been absent from family gatherings lately because she is spending time with her mom. "Melania — great first lady, so popular, the people love her — she's now in a hospital with her mother. Her mother, Amalija, is very ill, but hopefully she'll be recovering,” Trump had said.

"But she's been very ill, so I just want to say 'hello' to the first lady — we just spoke, down in Miami, great hospital — and hopefully they'll be ok. But it's a tough one, it's a very tough one. She knows probably about 95% of the people in this room. We just want to wish Amalija that she gets better as quickly as possible,” he added.

‘Amalija has an excellent relationship with Melania’

It is believed that Melania had a very close relationship with mom Amalija and dad Viktor Knavs, 79. Both Amalija and Viktor had recently been living at Mar-a-Lago.

"[Amalija] has an excellent relationship with Melania and with Barron," a source close to the family told PEOPLE. "They love her. She is unselfish and takes care of the family. Melania has always been super good with her mom as well as Barron."

Barron was particularly close to his grandma, the source added. "There have been times when Barron has been with his grandparents more than with Melania, and a lot more than with Donald,” the insider said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More