Melania Trump Breaks Silence on Whether She’ll Return to Modeling: “I’ve Been There…”

President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump had a busy year amid his 2024 reelection campaign. But the former First Lady, who worked as an international model in Europe and New York City in the late 1990s, is laser-focused on her incoming duties for her second term in the White House. When asked about a possible comeback to modeling, Melania did not seem as enthusiastic about the proposition.

During an interview with host Brian Kilmeade on Fox and Friends, the 54-year-old gave a blunt response to a question about appearing on the cover of a fashion magazine. She unapologetically discredited speculation around her continued interest in the profession and said, “Look, I’ve been there on the covers — on the cover of Vogue, on the covers of many magazines before... And, you know, for me, we have so many other important things to do than to be on the cover of any magazine. I think life would not change for anybody if I’m on the cover." Host Kilmeade, seemingly embarrassed by the question, joked if he could 'retract' his inappropriate question. 

Melania has enjoyed a long international modeling career. She first pursued it back in her homeland in Slovenia before moving to Milan and Paris. Then known as Melania Knauss, she was brought to New York City by Paolo Zampolli’s modeling agency and later modeled for Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition in 2000, per a report by Britannica. She gained notoriety for her nude photoshoots, initially for a French adult magazine in 1995 and then again ditching the apparel for a British GQ photoshoot on Donald’s private jet in 2000. They were dating at the time, per the New York Post. 

Interestingly, the Slovenian native is proud of her history of works as she recently defended her nude photoshoots. In a bid to promote her new eponymous memoir, Melania turned heads when she started explaining, “Why do I stand proudly behind my nude modeling work?” She challenged the media scrutiny of her “celebration of the human form in a photo shoot” and questioned if the world no longer appreciates the 'beauty' of the human body. Citing similar works by famous artists like Michelangelo, Paul Cezanne, and John Collier, Melania suggested that her risqué photoshoots were a means of self-expression and artistry.

Melania, however, steered away from modeling soon after her marriage to Donald. Having met him at a fashion event in 1998, the couple dated for a few years before getting married in 2005. Their first child and Donald’s fifth, Barron Trump, was born a year later and Melania also earned her U.S. citizenship that year. She then tried her hand at the jewelry business, having sold a line of products to the QVC company. Now, Melania is devoting all her attention to the well-being of her 18-year-old son who is attending New York University.