Melania Trump’s Parents Officially Become US Citizens

Viktor and Amalija Knavs, the parents of US First Lady Melania Trump, walk across the South Lawn upon return to the White House on June 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. US President Donald Trump returned to the White Hous... Viktor and Amalija Knavs, the parents of US First Lady Melania Trump, walk across the South Lawn upon return to the White House on June 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. US President Donald Trump returned to the White House after spending the weekend at the Camp David presidential retreat with his family. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

NEW YORK (AP) — First lady Melania Trump’s parents have been sworn in as U.S. citizens.

A lawyer for Viktor and Amalija Knavs says the Slovenian couple took the citizenship oath on Thursday in New York City.

They had been living in the U.S. as permanent residents.

The Knavses raised Melania in the rural industrial town of Sevnica while Slovenia was under Communist rule.

Viktor was a car dealer. Amalija worked in a textile factory.

They came and went from the ceremony at a Manhattan federal building flanked by Homeland Security police.

Viktor is 74, two years older than President Donald Trump. Amalija is 73.

The first lady, born Melanija, changed her name to Melania Knauss when she started modeling.

She settled in New York in 1996 and met Trump two years later.

Latest News
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: