Donald Trump thanks his wife Melania for her “very hard work” in her US election victory speech

Republican candidate Donald Trump thanked his wife Melania Trump for her support in his first address to his supporters on the evening of the US presidential election results.

Trump took the stage at his campaign headquarters in Florida with his wife Melania and children.

“I would also like to thank my beautiful wife Melania, First Lady, who has the best-selling book in the country. Can you believe that? She works very hard to help people. So I just wanted to thank her,” Trump said during his speech in Florida.

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The former president claimed victory in his exuberant speech and vowed to help the country “heal.” Trump's speech secured victory even though only Fox News and Decision Desk HQ had declared him the winner and no other US network had yet declared him the winner.

Who is Melania Trump?

Melania Trump is a former First Lady of the United States and served during her husband Donald Trump's presidency from 2017 to 2021. Born on April 26, 1970 in Novo Mesto, Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia), Melanija Knavs began her career as a model and worked in European fashion capitals before moving to New York in the 1990s. In 2001, she became a permanent resident of the United States and received citizenship in 2006.

Melania met Donald Trump in 1998 and they married in 2005. She is the mother of her son Barron Trump. As First Lady, she initiated the “Be Best” campaign, which focused on child welfare, online safety and combating opioid abuse. Her time in the White House was characterized by a reserved public profile compared to some previous first ladies, although she did actively participate in certain high-profile events and renovations, including updates to the White House Rose Garden.

Melania Trump's best-selling memoir titled Melaniaoffers an in-depth look into her life, covering her early years in Slovenia, her modeling career and her experiences as First Lady. Published in 2024, the memoir quickly became a bestseller on both Amazon and The New York Times lists

The book is praised for its insight into her personal journey, but received mixed reviews for the level of detail about her marriage to Donald Trump. In addition, Melania brings personal views on issues such as her stance on family separation policies and her position on reproductive rights, which have sparked media discussions.

(With contributions from agencies)