While Melania Trump’s return to the White House as First Lady has reignited interest in her life, attention has also turned to her older sister, Ines Knauss, who has maintained a quiet existence, seldom seen at public events or in family photographs. Despite her familial connection to one of the world’s most high-profile women, Ines has been avoiding the public eye for decades.

Knauss elected to skip the inauguration festivities to maintain her anonymity.

Born in Slovenia, the sisters grew up in a close-knit family before both pursuing careers that took them beyond their hometown. Ines, reportedly an artist and former fashion designer, played a significant role in shaping Melania’s journey. In Melania’s eponymous biography, she mentions her sister by name no less than 30 times. Melania has described her sister as her “guiding light and inspiration,” emphasizing the depth of their bond. This connection has endured throughout their lives, with the two women living just blocks apart in Manhattan for years before Melania’s move to Washington, D.C.

Ines’ preference for privacy is striking in contrast to her sister’s high-profile roles as a model, businesswoman, and now, First Lady. Little is publicly known about Ines, as she has not been photographed in over 20 years.

Knauss moved to the United States in the 1990s, pursuing a career in fashion design. Photographer Ale de Basseville, who met her during this time, described her as polite and unassuming. Though her professional aspirations didn’t lead to widespread recognition, Knauss obtained a work visa and later a green card.

Her presence at major public events is rare. Even at high-profile occasions, such as Donald Trump’s 2016 inauguration, she remained out of sight. However, Knauss served as Melania’s maid of honor at her 2005 wedding, highlighting her integral role in family milestones.

Knauss appears to be active on social media, although authenticity of these accounts has not been confirmed.

The existence of an alleged private Twitter account was noted earlier in Mary Jordan’s 2020 book The Art of Her Deal, which describes Melania’s journey toward becoming First Lady.

Feinberg inspired intrigue among political watchers after she mentioned in a newsletter in 2021 that Knauss’ likes on X revealed her true opinions towards her brother-in-law.

The journalist noted that Melania’s sister seemed to like many snarky tweets about Bruce Castor, Trump’s defense attorney, during the February 2021 impeachment trial. Additionally, Knauss liked a post that mocked the fact that Trump’s X account was suspended after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

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Article by Tami Roemer

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