First lady Melania Trump speaks at the “Make America Great Again Rally” at Orlando-Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. AP Photo
WASHINGTON, United States — Ivana Trump may have been Donald Trump’s first wife, but Melania Trump left the world in no doubt Monday that there is only one first lady of the United States.
In an interview with ABC News to promote her new book — “Raising Trump” — the 68-year-old Ivana Trump hazarded a little joke, when describing her longstanding relationship with the 45th US president.
“I have the direct number to White House but I don’t really want to call him there because Melania is there, and I don’t really want to cause any kind of jealousy or something like that because I’m basically first Trump wife, OK? I’m first lady, OK?” she told ABC, with a laugh.
Melania Trump, 47, felt it necessary to set the record straight. Firmly.
“Mrs. Trump has made the White House a home for Barron and the president,” said a tersely-worded statement from her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham, published by CNN.
“She loves living in Washington, DC, and is honored by her role as first lady of the United States.”
“She plans to use her title and role to help children, not sell books,” Grisham said, adding: “There is clearly no substance to this statement from an ex, this is unfortunately only attention-seeking and self-serving noise.”
Ivana Trump is the mother of Trump’s three eldest children: Donald Jr, Ivanka and Eric.
The former real estate magnate has two other children: Tiffany, with his second wife the actress Marla Maples, and 11-year-old Barron — who lives with his parents at the White House. /cbb