Melania Trump Fires Back at “Gold Digger” Claims: “They Don’t Know Me”

A 1999 ABC News clip has gone viral, showing then‑26‑year‑old Melania responding to criticism about her motives for dating Donald Trump

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Melania faced backlash over the 26‑year age gap and Trump’s wealth, sparking speculation about her intentions

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She said: “You know, the people, they don’t know me. People who talk like this, they don’t know me”

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Melania argued that material things—apartments, planes, cars—can leave you feeling empty

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She confessed, “You could feel very empty,” when accompanying someone just for their riches

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Reaffirming her stance: “If somebody said, ‘You're with the man because he's rich and famous,’ they don’t know me”

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In the same interview, she shared her desire to be a “traditional” First Lady, modeling herself after Jackie Kennedy

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Ahead of Trump’s 2025 inauguration, she asserted her independence: “I have my own thoughts. … I don't always agree … and that’s okay”

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