How Melania Trump Responded When Asked About Her Alleged Half-Brother by a GQ Reporter

Melania Trump's reaction was fierce when journalist Julia Ioffe's GQ profile uncovered an alleged hidden family secret— her secret half-brother, Denis Cigelnjak. Ioffe's investigative piece not only brought Cigelnjak into the limelight but also mentioned that their father, Victor Knavs, never acknowledged his son. Initially, as per the aforementioned article, Donald Trump's wife 'denied' that this was 'true', but after Ioffe forwarded the Slovenian court documents to the former FLOTUS, Melania provided a different answer.

It is worth mentioning that Cigelnjak hadn't publicly spoken to the media before the GQ piece was published, but he did open up to Ioffe about his side of the story. The journalist revealed that Cigelnjak lived in a small apartment in Hrastnik and had no recollection of ever meeting his father. Speaking to Ioffe, Cigelnjak said, "I missed being able to say, 'Hey Dad, let's go for a coffee.'" He also shared that he frequently heard tales about his father but hesitated to reach out. He asserted that he wanted no monetary favors from his father or the Trumps but admitted being interested in meeting his alleged half-sister, whom he thought was not aware of his existence.

According to the GQ piece, Melania told Ioffe she 'hadn’t understood' what the journalist had asked before adding, "I've known about this for years. My father is a private individual. Please respect his privacy." As per reports, before Knavs married Melania's mother, he became acquainted with a young woman named Marija Cigelnjak from the town. Ioffe's investigation revealed that a relationship soon blossomed, and Marija got pregnant. According to Marija's testimony in court, Knavs initially proposed marriage but later insisted on her having an abortion. Denis was born in May 1965, and shortly afterward, she took legal action against Knavs for child support and also won after a paternity test proved that he was in fact the father.

In response to GQ Magazine's in-depth exploration of her family history, Melania vehemently criticized the publication for what she deemed 'dishonest' reporting. She specifically called out Ioffe, accusing her of having an agenda and 'looking to make a name for herself,' as reported by CBS News. Melania asserted, "There are numerous inaccuracies in this article, including certain statements about my family and claims on personal matters. My parents are private citizens and should not be subject to Ms. Ioffe's unfair scrutiny." 

Ioffe, on the other hand, emphasized that it took months to investigate and that the report was based on archival court documents. She hit back at the former model's accusations and said, "I think she's understandably upset that some dirty laundry came out. But I did my job." The journalist expressed her confidence in both her investigative work and GQ's rigorous fact-checking procedures. However, she also did convey regret if the article caused any distress to the Trumps. "It wasn't my intention to do that," she said. She explained, "Her husband is running for president [2016] -- she is now a public person...The rumors have been circulating...If it wasn't me -- somebody else would have reported it."