A Chance Encounter at Fashion Week
In 1998, Donald Trump and Melania Knauss met unexpectedly at a New York Fashion Week party hosted by Italian entrepreneur Paolo Zampolli. Melania, a Slovenian-born model, caught Donald’s attention immediately. At 52, recently separated from his second wife, and attending the party with a date, Donald shifted his focus to her.

Melania recalled to Harper’s Bazaar, “He wanted my number, but he was with a date, so of course I didn’t give it to him. I said, ‘I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you.’” Donald handed her all his numbers, and she waited a week before calling. “We had great chemistry, but I was not starstruck,” Melania told GQ.

A closeup view is seen of the engagement ring that Donald Trump gave to his then-girlfriend Melania Knauss at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City on April 26, 2004 | Source: Getty Images
A closeup view is seen of the engagement ring that Donald Trump gave to his then-girlfriend Melania Knauss at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City on April 26, 2004 | Source: Getty Images

A Brief Break
Despite the early spark, the couple faced challenges. They briefly split in 2000. Donald admitted to The New York Times, “Melania is an amazing woman… and she will be missed.” Melania initially had doubts, keeping her apartment to maintain space, according to her roommate Matthew Atanian. Within six months, they reconciled and began dating steadily.

The Met Gala Proposal
By 2004, Donald was ready to propose. He chose the prestigious Met Gala, during the “Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century” Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.