When Donald Trump switched from The Apprentice to running for president in 2016, his wife, Melania Trump, wasn’t exactly celebrating. He admitted she had doubts about his campaign. She took on the role of First Lady, but never warmed up to the political circus.
That set her apart from Trump’s former wives. Ivana was his business partner in the spotlight; Marla Maples preferred staying out of view. Melania drew clear lines. A friend told People magazine in 2025: “She doesn’t believe she has obligations in the political world (…) But she does care about children and their well-being.” That’s why she kept things low-key, like her Be Best project.
Where other ladies jumped in headfirst, Melania carefully chose when to step in and when to step away.
Ivana Trump
Donald Trump and his wife Ivana Trump (Zelníčková) in the Peterhof Palace, Leningrad, 1987 pic.twitter.com/KUvFfxfdMn
— USSR Pictures (@PicturesUssr) July 22, 2024
Ivana Trump, Donald Trump’s first wife, played a far bigger role than just arm candy. She stayed out of politics, but her fingerprints were all over his business world. She ran Trump Castle in Atlantic City and called the shots at Manhattan’s Plaza Hotel. They worked side by side, planning deals and grabbing headlines. Sometimes, she outshone him completely.
Even after their divorce years before he became president, Ivana insisted she still had pull. When he was in the White House, she swore she had a “direct line” to him. She even said he offered her the ambassador job to the Czech Republic, her home country. She spoke straight, no sugarcoating. She never hid how much she’d built up the Trump name…even from the sidelines.
Marla Maples
Donald Trump & Marla Maples – NYC 1991 🇺🇸🖤 pic.twitter.com/wwqHdY8ovW
— Keeping Up With The Trumps (@KUWTTRUMPS) August 14, 2025
Then came Marla Maples, Trump’s second wife. She wasn’t like Ivana. Where Ivana jumped into the business side of things, Marla stayed back. You wouldn’t find her in boardrooms.
Instead, she took on the quieter role of the supportive partner who didn’t crave the spotlight. People noticed the difference right away. Ivana commanded rooms; Marla seemed more comfortable out of them. She wasn’t trying to run the show; she was just there when needed. That made her style feel more traditional than the force of nature that was wife number one.
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Melania Trump
Someone close to the family described Melania Trump as “smart like Ivana” but “more traditional in the Marla way.” She steered clear of public roles in business or politics, though she wasn’t completely hands-off. Trump himself confirmed she offered thoughts on policy; how much he heeded them is another matter. She even dared to address his social media habits, quietly pushing him to dial back the harsh posts. Ivana, by contrast, openly advised him on what to share online.
Yet despite their efforts, neither could rein in Donald Trump’s fiery rants. Both women tried to shield him; both fell short.
Despite past tensions, his exes eventually voiced the same concern: Donald Trump should reconsider his flamboyant presence. He never did. Looking back, Melania emerges as the reluctant political partner who consistently put her personal boundaries first. Ivana played the role of an ambitious co-strategist during his rise. Marla kept a quiet, supportive distance.
And Melania Trump never hid her indifference toward the political arena.
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