Donald Trump has paid tribute to his mother-in-law Amalija Knavs, whose death at the age of 78 was announced on Tuesday.
The former president said Melania's mother was “an incredible woman.”
“This is a very sad night for the entire Trump family!!!” Melania's amazing and beautiful mother Amalija has just flown to a beautiful place in the sky. She was an incredible woman and we will miss her beyond words!'
He then shared a photo of himself with Amalija.
Melania, 53, said earlier Tuesday that her mother had died.
“It is with deep sadness that I announce the death of my beloved mother Amalija,” she said.
Melania missed most of Mar-a-Lago's Christmas and New Year's celebrations to care for her ailing mother.
“Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always conducted herself with grace, warmth and dignity. She devoted herself entirely to her husband, daughters, grandson and son-in-law. We will miss her beyond measure and continue to honor and love her legacy.”
Melania did not reveal a cause of death, but former President Donald Trump said on New Year's Eve that she was “very ill” and the impact was “hard” on the family.
Former first lady Melania Trump's mother, Amalija Knavs, 78, has died after being hospitalized in Miami, Florida, over the holidays. She is pictured center with her daughter and Donald Trump in 2018
Knavs was a textile dealer in her native Slovenia when she met her husband Viktor. The couple then moved to the US and supported Melania throughout her career from modeling to East Wing. She is pictured with her daughter in 2004
Knavs was born in Judendorf-Straßengel, Austria, in 1945 before moving to Slovenia when it was still under communist rule.
She spent her humble childhood harvesting onions on her family farm before starting work in a textile factory and meeting her husband Viktor there.
In 1968 they had their first daughter, Ines, who now lives in Manhattan, and two years later the couple had Melania, who always said she was inspired by her hard-working mother.
The sisters both moved to Milan to start their modeling careers, and Melania first came to the United States in 1996.
She received a green card in 2001 and became a naturalized citizen in 2006.
The couple then moved to the US – it's unclear when – and stood by Melania throughout her career from modeling to East Wing.
They were retired and spent most of their time at their son-in-law's palatial Palm Beach Club.
“My elegant and hard-working mother, Amalija, introduced me to fashion and beauty,” Melania said in her speech to the Republican National Convention in 2016.
“My father Viktor instilled in me a passion for business and travel. Her integrity, compassion and intelligence are reflected in me and my love for family and America to this day.”
The Knavs became naturalized U.S. citizens in August 2018 after Melania sponsored their green card.
To qualify for citizenship, they had to have received their green card five years earlier – that is, they received their green card in 2013.
It was a process her husband criticized as “chain migration” during his time in the White House.
While his in-laws were still going through the process, Trump denounced him.
In November 2017, he tweeted: “CHAIN MIGRATION must end now!” Some people come in and bring their whole family with them, who can be really bad. UNACCEPTABLE!'
The Knavs were unusually well-known for in-laws and were frequently seen at the White House and Mar-a-Lago.
At the annual New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago, the former president confirmed that Melania's mother was “very sick” and initially spoke positively about her recovery.
He told an enthusiastic crowd gathered at his Mar-a-Lago estate that Melania was absent because she was at a nearby hospital by her mother's side.
“Hopefully she recovers,” the former president said.
“It's a difficult question, a very difficult question,” Trump continued, saying Melania was sending “her love” to all the people gathered in Palm Beach, Florida.
“She knows about 95 percent of the people in this room,” he said in a video posted on X, drawing cheers from partygoers.
Review: Trump poses with Melania and Barron as well as his in-laws Amalija and Viktor Knavs at Christmas 2008
From left to right, Eric Trump, Viktor Knavs, Amalija Knavs and Donald Trump pose for a group portrait at the Mar-a-Lago Club in 2006
Amalija and her husband Viktor enter the White House in August 2019. The couple met in their native Slovenia before moving to the United States
Amalija Knavs greets her son-in-law Trump as he walks through the crowd at the Easter egg roll at the White House in April 2018
Donald Trump Jr.'s fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, posted a family photo on her Instagram Story the day after Christmas that featured several members of the Trump family.
Melania's absence from the picture was immediately noticeable.
“Melania has always been very devoted to her entire family,” a source close to the former first lady told Fox News Digital.
“It should come as no surprise that she spent this Christmas with her ailing mother.”
Guilfoyle's picture posted on her Instagram Story showed much of the Trump crew in front of a Christmas tree at the ex-president's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
Melania's father Viktor, 79, was also seen in the photo.
Donald Trump confirmed that Amalija Knavs (pictured with husband Viktor in 2018) was “very sick” over Christmas and Melania was at her bedside
Don Jr.'s fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, posted a Trump family photo (above) on her Instagram Story with several members of the ex-president's family at Mar-a-Lago the day after Christmas, including Barron Trump. On the far left in the picture: Melania's father Viktor Knavs
Former President Donald Trump can also be seen in the picture; his eldest son Don Jr. and his fiancée Guilfoyle; the youngest Trump child Barron, 17; Tiffany Trump and husband Michael Boulos; and eldest daughter Ivanka with husband Jared Kushner and their three children Arabella (12), Joseph (10) and Theodore (7).
The tallest of the bunch is Barron, who is a few centimeters taller than his father, who is 1.90 meters tall.
Reports this month said Melania, 53, will step up her public appearances to support her husband's re-election bid.
This came after the former first lady, herself an immigrant, appeared at the National Archives on December 15 to speak at a naturalization ceremony. Last month, she also accompanied the other first ladies at Rosalynn Carter's funeral – even though her husband wasn't in attendance with the other presidents.
Eric Trump and his wife Lara were also not present for the group photo in front of the Mar-a-Lago Christmas tree.
Guilfoyle also posted a few pictures on her Instagram grid with her fiancé Don Jr. and the former president in front of the holiday decorations at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort and residence.
Melania and Donald Trump arrive for Christmas Eve dinner with the former First Lady's parents, Viktor Knavs and Amalija Knavs, in West Palm Beach, Florida, on December 24, 2019
Although they didn't spend Christmas Day together, half-sisters Ivanka and Tiffany Trump attended the family celebration on December 25th.
The two also showed off their festive spirit in fun posts shared on their respective social media accounts.
Marla Maples, 60, who was married to Trump from 1993 to 1999, posted a photo of her and her daughter Tiffany, 30, posing in front of a Christmas tree.
The mother-daughter duo wore an all-black look, kept their hair down and beamed at the camera.
“Merry Christmas, from the heart of yours,” Marla wrote in the post. “Love, Marla and Tiffany.”
Meanwhile, Ivanka shared some festive snaps on social media, posting a Christmas photo – as well as some throwback images.
Former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle also posted a picture on her Instagram on Tuesday, December 26, with her fiancé Don Jr. and former President Donald Trump against a backdrop of Mar-a-Lago Christmas decorations
Ivanka Trump, 42, husband Jared Kushner, 42, and their three children — Arabella, 12, Joseph, 10, and Theodore, seven — were photographed with former President Trump on Dec. 26
The second eldest child of Donald's first wife Ivana and the president shared two pictures to her Instagram Story, showing her smiling family celebrating the holidays.
In one picture are Ivanka, husband Jared Kushner, both 43, and their three children – Arabella, 12; Joseph, 10; and Theodore, 7 — all posed with the former first daughter's maternal grandmother while celebrating Christmas dinner.
Later that evening, Ivanka also uploaded a photo of her family standing with her father in front of an extravagant Christmas tree the day after Christmas.
The family was dressed up for the celebration and the mother of three added a Merry Christmas gif to her Instagram Story.