When Melania Trump and President Donald Trump met, she was 28 and he was 52. As a model who was dating a nepo baby businessman, Melania came under fire more often than not for what some saw as the real reason she wanted to be with Trump: his money. Now, in an ABC News interview from 1999 that has made the rounds on social media again, Melania’s response to marrying Trump for his money has some out again.
It wasn’t the first or last time people have speculated on why Melania married Trump. Even now, critics of the president in his second term and the second-time first lady have speculated about what they believe to be a loveless marriage of convenience.
A user on X (formerly Twitter) once shared a video of Melania and Trump and wrote in the post, “Don’t feel bad, even Melania hates Trump!” According to Melania, though, that’s not the case.
Love this interview with Melania at age 26. When asked if she had been hurt by the comments that she was with Donald Trump because he was rich, she gave a very honest and mature answer and saidβ¦βthey donβt know meβ. Love our @FLOTUS π pic.twitter.com/gcEpuF8Rgo
— πΏππ π·ππππππβ’οΈ (@CL4WS_OUT) July 17, 2025
Melania Trump clapped back at those who say she married for money.
In the resurfaced interview with ABC News correspondent Don Dahler, Melania shared that she believes people don’t know who her husband really is. She added that people also don’t know her and who the real Melania is. Because, according to her, the real Melania did not marry Trump just for his money and name.
“If somebody said, ‘You’re with the man because he’s rich and famous,’ they don’t know me,” Melania said in the interview at the time. When she spoke with ABC News, she wasn’t yet married to Trump. She did field other questions about their relationship, however, such as whether she loves Trump, to which she replied that she does.
Melania also commented on the fact that Trump once referred to her as “my supermodel.” She was a highly paid model at the height of their relationship before they were married.
“It’s his sense of humor,” Melania told ABC News of Trump’s “my supermodel” comments. “He’s very kind.”
People have a lot to say about Melania and Donald Trump’s relationship.
Donβt feel bad, even Melania hates Trump! ππ€£ pic.twitter.com/tT4u76cCCN
— α°α©Ζ³αα© (@LePapillonBlu2) February 21, 2023
Despite the resurfaced interview and Melania’s previous claims about being in love with Trump and that he is kind, funny, and everything else you might want in a partner, some people aren’t buying it.
Maybe Melania and Trump did have a closer relationship once upon a time. After he won the presidency for the second time, however, more critics shared thoughts on the couple’s marriage.
In June 2025, someone on X shared a compilation of clips where Melania appears to be downright disgusted with her husband. In the post, the person wrote, “Nobody hates Donald Trump more than Melania Trump. Here’s the proof.”
In 2020, someone else posted a video of Melania and Trump where she appears to have very little emotion for her husband.
“My God she loathes him doesn’t she?” the person wrote on X. “I wonder what the contract between them actually is?”
Although there are conflicting reports about what Melania and Trump’s original prenuptial agreement was, according to The Washington Post, it was not in favor of Melania. She reportedly renegotiated it later on in their marriage, but the details of that revised prenup aren’t clear.
