Melania Trump, the First Lady of the US, has ranked among America’s 250 greatest living immigrants in a new report. Born Melanija Knavs in present-day Slovenia, she came to the US to further her modelling career in the 1990s. Her 2024 memoir states August 1996 as the year of her arrival in the US.
Melania Trump reportedly is the first naturalized citizen to become First Lady of the United States
Melania Trump takes up the 20th position in the June 12 Forbes report ranking the 250 greatest living immigrants. Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger is at the top of the list. Per the outlet, Trump is “the first naturalized citizen to become First Lady of the United States.” She is also the first non-native English speaker and second foreign-born First Lady.
In her 2024 memoir, Trump addressed the difficulties she faced in becoming a US citizen (via New York Times). “My personal experience of traversing the challenges of the immigration process opened my eyes to the harsh realities people face … who try to become U.S. citizens,” she wrote. “Of course, there are the nuances of understanding the United States immigration laws, and the complex legal language contained therein.”
Trump added, “I was very devoted, but I certainly was not an attorney, and eventually, it proved critical for me to retain counsel. I was fortunate to do so, as ultimately my journey was streamlined and brought me over the finish line as a naturalized citizen.”
In December 2023, the former model appeared at a naturalization ceremony in Washington, D.C., to congratulate 25 new American citizens at the National Archives. At this event, she spoke of the intricacies of immigration (via CBS News).
At one point, she said, “Patience and perseverance became my constant companions as I navigated through this intricate web, which I’m sure you can all relate to.” Her husband, President Donald Trump, is currently pursuing a restrictive immigration agenda.
Originally reported by Ankita Shaw on Reality Tea
