Donald Trump Confirms That Melania’s Mother, Amalija Knavs, Is ‘Very Ill’

Donald Trump took a moment to acknowledge the absence of his wife, Melania, from recent family gatherings when he addressed the crowd at his New Year’s Eve event held at Mar-a-Lago. He informed attendees that Melania’s mother is currently battling severe illness and Melania needs to be beside her.

The former first lady was indeed absent from the festivities. Video footage captured Trump’s remarks, in which he praised Melania as a beloved first lady and explained her absence, “She’s now in a hospital with her mother. Her mother, Amalija, is very ill, but hopefully, she’ll be recovering.”

Trump expressed the difficulty of the situation, “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.”

Melania’s parents, Amalija Knavs, 78, and Viktor Knavs, 79, have resided in Mar-a-Lago in recent years, with Melania and Trump. Since the family left the White House in 2021, Melania has continued her life at their Palm Beach home amid the legal challenges her husband faces.

Melania reportedly enjoys her time at Mar-a-Lago, surrounded by people who love her, and she avoids discussion of negative criticism of her husband. The couple lives in separate quarters on the Mar-a-Lago estate but are often seen together at meals or events at the private club.

Melania devotes much of her time at Mar-a-Lago to her 17-year-old son, Barron. While Melania has limited her public appearances since her husband departed from office, she made a significant appearance in November at Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service, where she joined other living first ladies and was criticized for not wearing black.

Last month, Melania made another rare public appearance as a special guest at a naturalization ceremony for new American citizens held at the National Archives headquarters. Throughout this year, Melania has maintained a low profile, choosing to lead a private life away from the public eye.