Ivana Trump: A Life of Influence and Resilience was the first wife of President-elect Donald Trump. Born in 1949 in Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia—now known as Zlín in the Czech Republic—she gained prominence as a competitive skier. This passion for skiing was further fueled by her marriage in 1971 to Austrian ski instructor Alfred Winklmayr, which allowed her to travel extensively beyond the borders of Czechoslovakia, experiencing different cultures and lifestyles that shaped her future endeavors.
According to her memoir Raising Trump, the talented model fortuitously met Donald Trump during a trip to New York in 1976, three years post her divorce. She was in the city for a Canadian fashion show leading up to the Montreal Olympics. Their whirlwind romance culminated in marriage in 1977, during which they welcomed three children: Donald Trump Jr. in 1977, Ivanka Trump in 1981, and Eric Trump in 1984, forming a prominent family within American society.
The couple’s marriage faced challenges, ultimately leading to their divorce in 1992, which was notably impacted by Donald’s affair with Marla Maples, his subsequent wife. Despite the tumultuous end to their marriage, Ivana and Donald managed to maintain a cordial relationship post-divorce, which allowed them to co-parent their children amicably.
Ivana reflected on the divorce process, stating, “Donald during the divorce was brutal,” in an interview with ABC News in 2017. She elaborated, “He took the divorce as a business deal, and he cannot lose. He has to win. So he took about two years. And after the final situation was straightened up, we would just talk and we are friends.” This insight into their relationship reveals the complexities of navigating personal and public life.
Tragically, Ivana passed away in 2022 at the age of 73. Reports from NBC News indicated that the New York City Medical Examiner attributed her death to “blunt impact injuries,” classifying it as an accident. A senior NYC official noted that the circumstances surrounding her death were consistent with a fall in her New York apartment, underscoring the fragility of life.
