How Much Melania Trump Was Worth Before She Married Donald

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00:00It's safe to say that Melania Trump now leads a lavish life.

00:04But was she always loaded?

00:05From her hard-working Eastern European roots to her success in the modeling world, she

00:10actually did just fine as a bachelorette.

00:13Here's how much Melania was worth before she married Donald Trump.

00:17Born Melania Knauss in what is now Slovenia, Melania was raised under communist rule.

00:22Her father, Viktor, was a salesman at a state-owned car company, while Melania's mother, Amaya,

00:27developed children's clothing patterns at a factory.

00:30In GQ, Melania said of her parents,

00:32"...they're both hard-working, they're both very smart and very capable.

00:35They grew up in totally different environments, but they have the same values, they have the

00:39same tradition."

00:40It was clear from an early age that Melania was determined to lead a prosperous life.

00:44A former high school classmate told the New York Times,

00:46"...she tried to find opportunities and took them."

00:49Melania may have had a leg up.

00:50Her father was allegedly a part of the Communist Party.

00:53Being a member had benefits, and only a tiny percentage of Slovenians belonged.

00:58Although she's been brushed off as a vapid model trophy wife by the media, Melania had

01:02bigger aspirations before deciding to pout in front of the camera.

01:06Stane Yergo, the photographer who originally spotted Melania, said she initially wasn't

01:11interested in modeling.

01:12He told GQ,

01:13"...school was the most important thing for her."

01:15Melania studied architecture at Liubanya University.

01:18Professor Blaz Vogelnik told the Daily Beast,

01:20"...I can put my hand in the fire to prove that she was a very intelligent student with a

01:25high IQ."

01:26However, Melania never graduated and instead ditched her freshman year and exam for a modeling

01:31career.

01:32Vogelnik mused that the timeline might not have been fast enough for the budding model.

01:36She must have realized that it would take her six to seven more years of studies before

01:40she could start making good money as an architect.

01:42The average Slovenian architect makes the equivalent of US$32,735 in 2020.

01:49So there's no denying that Melania's decision to leave Academy would pay off.

01:53Modeling ultimately led her to Donald Trump.

01:56Melania left Slovenia for Milan after her first year in college, and in 1996, she caught the

02:02eye of wealthy Italian businessman Paolo Zempoli, who helped her travel to America on a modeling

02:07contract and a work visa.

02:09During a 2016 campaign speech in Pennsylvania, Melania said,

02:12"...I loved my work, and as a young entrepreneur, I wanted to follow my dreams to a place where

02:19freedom and opportunity were in abundance."

02:24Although she never made it to the supermodel status of Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss, Melania

02:28Trump had a successful modeling career.

02:30Melania had to compete against younger models for lucrative contracts.

02:37Melania's former roommate, photographer Matthew Atanian, told GQ,

02:41"...it's not a friendly industry to models of that age.

02:44She erred frustration over the work issue.

02:46She was going to castings every day and not succeeding every day.

02:49She said things were very different in Europe, that she had been more successful."

02:53Melania began auditioning for work that her underage competitors couldn't be hired for,

02:57such as tobacco and alcohol ads.

02:59Among her first big jobs was a Camel Cigarettes billboard in Times Square.

03:03As she gained notoriety for her relationship with Donald Trump, Melania's star and rate

03:08rose.

03:09She appeared on the covers of Vogue and Vanity Fair, among other publications.

03:13Melania also found success working with photographers such as Patrick de Marchalier, Helmut Newton,

03:17and Mario Testino.

03:19According to documents obtained by the Associated Press in 2016, Melania was paid for 10 modeling

03:24jobs in the United States, worth $20,056.

03:28And all of that work occurred in the seven weeks before she had legal permission to work

03:32in the U.S.

03:33It's an ironic find, considering her husband's immigration policies, some of which severely

03:38restrict the work opportunities of legal immigrants who attempt to pursue a career in

03:42the United States.

03:43Hollywood didn't come calling for Melania, who attempted to transition from billboards

03:47to the big screen.

03:48Her time as an actress was extremely short-lived.

03:50Thanks to her then-boyfriend Donald Trump, the future FLOTUS nearly nabbed a spot in Sharknado

03:553 and made a brief cameo in Zoolander in 2001.

03:58Look, without Derek Zoolander, male modeling wouldn't be what it is today.

04:03Melania also briefly worked as a fashion correspondent for Extra.

04:07I will have the stars and the stars here at Fashion Week.

04:11Dating Donald Trump certainly came with its perks, and the story of how Melania Trump got

04:15his attention is one that she tells with pride.

04:18According to GQ, the couple met at a party thrown by Paolo Zampali in September 1998.

04:23Although Donald arrived with someone else, he was drawn to Melania.

04:26When he asked for Melania's number, she rejected him and insisted that Donald give his number

04:30instead.

04:31Melania said,

04:32I wanted to see what kind of number he would give me — business, home.

04:37If he would give me a business number, I'm not a girl doing business with him.

04:42But Melania got more than Donald's numbers.

04:44She also got on the A-list.

04:46The press was abuzz wondering who Donald Trump's European girlfriend was, and Melania started

04:50scoring bigger modeling deals.

04:51An infamous British GQ piece from 2000 featured Melania posing naked on Trump's customized

04:57Boeing 727, wearing handcuffs and diamonds and holding a chrome pistol.

05:02Although Donald Trump never shouted, you're hired, at Melania, a bunch of other companies

05:06did, especially after she appeared on The Apprentice.

05:09According to the New York Post, Melania was offered an endorsement deal with Levi's jeans

05:13after wearing a pair to a meeting on the television show.

05:16Melania launched a line of jewelry in 2010 through QVC, and two years later founded an

05:21anti-aging skincare company.

05:23According to the Associated Press, Melania made between $15,000 and $50,000 in 2016 from

05:29these businesses.

05:30That same year, Melania filed a libel lawsuit against the Daily Mail after the newspaper published

05:34a piece claiming the future FLOTUS previously worked as an escort.

05:38But Mrs. Trump's lawyers argue those scandalous, unproven allegations hurt future endorsement deals.

05:44In 2017, the Daily Mail paid Melania $2.9 million, adding to her net worth.

05:51After marrying Donald Trump in 2005, Melania is reportedly worth $50 million.

05:56She now ties with Jackie Kennedy as the wealthiest first lady in American history.

06:00Thankfully, Melania was successful before marrying Donald Trump, because he made sure

06:05they signed a prenup.

06:06The president told Larry King that prenups are,

06:08Prenups are very tough, darling, I love you very much, we're gonna live our lives together

06:15forever, and by the way, sign this sucker, we're not getting married.

06:18If things do, in fact, go sour, Melania still has a $50 million net worth to fall back on,

06:23mostly acquired from her modeling days, the now-discontinued QVC jewelry line, and various

06:28commercials.

06:29While nobody knows the details of the Trumps' marriage, we're guessing Melania would be

06:33just fine if she was fired out of The Apprentice alum's life.

06:37Check out one of our newest videos right here!

06:39Plus, even more Nicki Swift videos about your favorite celebs are coming soon.

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