Former First Lady Melania Trump announced her mother’s death in a post on X Tuesday.
“It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija,” Trump said in her post. “Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity. She was entirely devoted to her husband, daughters, grandson, and son-in-law. We will miss her beyond measure and continue to honor and love her legacy.”
The former first lady hails from Slovenia. She is only the second first lady to be born outside the U.S.
Trump gave remarks at a National Archives Naturalization Ceremony last month, during which she called the pathway to citizenship in the U.S. “arduous.” She also remarked that after taking the United States Oath of Allegiance, she felt “a tremendous sense of belonging.”
“For me, reaching the milestone of American citizenship marked the sunrise of certainty,” she said. “At that exact moment, I forever discarded the layer of burden connected with whether I would be able to live in the United States. I hope you’re blanketed with similar feelings of comfort right now.”
Trump said when she arrived in the country, she knew she wanted to call it her permanent home. She became a naturalized citizen in 2006, with her parents becoming naturalized citizens in 2018.
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