On her 51st birthday, Melania Trump thoughtfully solved the problem of what to gift a first lady.
“We know how much the First Lady means to YOU so we’re going to give you ONE MORE chance to sign her card, but you must ACT FAST!” read an email sent to Republican supporters, in 2021, who were then taken to a page asking for a donation to the party’s coffers, with the $100 option pre-selected.
Perhaps it was a sign of things to come. During her first year back in the White House, Melania, now 56, has been busy monetising the role of FLOTUS. According to a newly released 927-page federal report, her business earnings in 2025 were between $17.3 and £18.2m (up on around $1m in 2024), while her husband made $2bn, prompting questions over conflicts of interest for the first family.
It’s a far cry from the image of ‘Poor Melania’ that dominated Trump’s first term. Back then, her business income was rarely worth reporting on – seemingly, the most significant deal was with Getty, in 2017, for the use of family photos, which earned the first lady between $100,000 and $1m.
So where have Melania’s new millions – which are channelled through her own Palm Beach-based holding company, MKT World LLC – come from?
