Here's Looking at Melania Trump's 'Mysterious' Dating Life Before She Married Donald Trump

To say Melania Trump (nee: Knauss) is mysterious would be an understatement. Despite being a public figure, the former First Lady's low-key life is impressive yet strange, especially given how much her husband frequents headlines. But what is well-known is that Melania met the real estate mogul Donald Trump at a New York nightclub. While the Republican was in the process of divorcing his second wife, Marla Maples, little is known about the former model's past.

Melania's relationship with Trump was a matter of public scrutiny. Their 'unusual' marriage has even raised many eyebrows, some even questioning their 24-year age gap. Despite the odds, the duo has survived the test of time thus far and has been married for around 18 years; they tied the knot in December 2005 in a lavish ceremony. 

As per the reports, Trump was 'smitten' by his then-girlfriend (Melania). However, a housekeeper shared the truth about their relationship. "It's a strange marriage," the staff told the author of The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump, reported The List. "I never saw them like a normal family, sitting together at a table, eating together, talking. Never, never, never. They spend time in the same place, but they don't interact." Melania's former BFF Stephanie Winston Wolkoff echoed the sentiment and called their marriage 'transactional,' where Trump got 'arm candy' and Melania got the 'security.' 

Moreover, details about Melania's life before Trump aren't too public either. Despite being the face of many brands, her dating history doesn't have enough for the world. The former model came to the United States in 1996 from Slovenia. And after only two years, she was romantically involved with Trump in 1998.

However, prior to meeting the former POTUS, Melania apparently dated a man called Jure Zorcic. She was merely 21 and still in her home country of Slovenia, and according to her ex-boyfriend, Melania was never a 'typical Slovenian girl,' as was reported by ABC News. "She wanted to live abroad, in Italy, France, a life of fashion," Zorcic claimed. 

"She was very fashionable," Zorcic revealed. The former boyfriend also stated there were no plans of moving to the US in the books for them: "I think it was very far from our minds at that time... We met each other like in a movie. It was a hot summer day, in between wars in Slovenia [in 1991]. It was the beginning of a new political era for us; the city was empty, blocked by the army." Zorcic revealed he was mesmerized by her personality. "I was impressed by her beauty from the very first moment. She was very nicely dressed, and her behavior was classy." 

However, it was beyond Zorcic's imagination she'd ever leave the country and eventually become the First Lady of America. "I think her marriage to Trump was fate," the ex-boyfriend said. "Nobody believed 20 years ago that she would live at the top of the world, on Fifth Avenue in Trump Tower—even her," Melania's ex concluded. But, the White House has denied this story and refused to comment further.