OAN’s Sophia Flores
7:00 PM – Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Former First Lady Melania Trump has announced that her mother, Amalija Knavs, has passed away at the age of 78.
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On Tuesday, Trump took to X to announce the passing of her beloved mother.
“It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija,” Trump wrote in a statement.
“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,” she continued.
Amalija Knavs’s illness came to light after her daughter was noticeably absent from the Trump family’s Christmas photo and from the New Year’s Eve celebration at her Mar-a-Lago home. During the event, Donald Trump acknowledged his mother-in-law’s condition, confirming that she was “very ill.”
“Melania — great first lady, so popular, the people love her — she’s now in a hospital with her mother. Her mother, Amalija, is very ill, but hopefully she’ll be recovering,” the 45th president said at the party.
“But she’s been very ill, so I just want to say ‘hello’ to the first lady — we just spoke, down in Miami, great hospital — and hopefully they’ll be ok. But it’s a tough one, it’s a very tough one,” he continued. “She knows probably about 95% of the people in this room. We just want to wish Amalija that she gets better as quickly as possible.”
Melania has remained by her mother’s side during her time at a Miami hospital. Information regarding when she checked in to the hospital and what she was admitted for have not been released to the public.
The former first lady maintained a strong, close-knit relationship with her mother and her father, Viktor Knavs. The Knavses have been living with her immediate family at Mar-a-Lago for years. When their son-in-law was president, the couple lived on the upper floors of the White House. In particular, Melania’s mother had a great relationship with her 17-year-old grandson Barron Trump.
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
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