Melania Trump Turns 55: From Slovenian Roots to White House Grace

Melania Trump is blowing out 55 candles today, celebrating her birthday as she resumes her role in the White House for a second time. Her journey from a small town in Slovenia all the way to Washington, D.C. is a real-life Cinderella story — with way more press coverage than the original.

Born on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, Melania grew up with her parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs. She was christened at the Church of St. Lawrence and spent her early childhood in an apartment in Sevnica before the family moved to a house in the same town. The Knavs family was described as pleasant and active in their community, attending local church services and leaving a positive mark on Sevnica, according to the town's mayor, Srečko Ocvrik.

Even back in elementary school, Melania was known for being a helpful and diligent student, always ready to lend a hand to classmates who needed it. Her upbringing in Central Europe — then part of Yugoslavia — was marked by economic progress and a culture that valued hard work. Slovenia, as the westernmost republic of Yugoslavia, was particularly known for being more in step with Western standards than its neighbors.

Locals in Sevnica have shown their pride in their hometown celebrity in sweet style: a bakery created apple pies named for Melania to celebrate her birthday. Because if you're not getting a namesake pastry, are you even famous?

At just 16, Melania kicked off a successful modeling career, landing major campaigns and later moving to New York in 1996. She officially became a U.S. citizen a decade later. In 2005, she married Donald Trump at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Florida, with a lavish reception at Mar-a-Lago. The couple welcomed their son, Barron, in 2006.

Melania has also made her mark as an entrepreneur, launching her own jewelry collection in 2010. Her memoir, "Melania," quickly shot to the top of the New York Times bestseller list last year. Notably, she's only the second First Lady born outside the U.S. — the first being Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams — and the first to become a naturalized citizen.

During her first tenure as first lady, Melania launched the "BE BEST" initiative, focusing on children's well-being, online safety, and fighting opioid abuse. She also introduced "Fostering the Future," which offers college scholarships to foster youth, even using blockchain technology to help fund these projects.

Her philanthropic résumé includes roles as chairwoman and honorary chairwoman at organizations such as the American Heart Association, Boys’ Club of New York, and the Martha Graham Dance Company. Most recently, she celebrated the passage of the "Take it Down Act," a bill aimed at keeping kids safe from online dangers like deepfakes.

From Slovenian roots to American spotlight, Melania Trump’s story is a reminder that sometimes, the American Dream comes with a side of apple pie — and a lot of cameras.