The mother of former first lady Melania Trump has died. Amalija Knavs was 78.
Mrs. Trump announced the death Tuesday evening on social media. She did not give a cause of death.
“Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity. She was entirely devoted to her husband, daughters, grandson, and son-in-law. We will miss her beyond measure and continue to honor and love her legacy,” the former first lady wrote.
The New York Times reported that former President Donald Trump had said Dec. 31 at a Mar-a-Lago party that his mother-in-law was “very ill” at a Miami hospital and that Mrs. Trump was with her.
Mr. Trump late Tuesday called it a “very sad night” for the family.
“Melania’s great and beautiful mother, Amalija, has just gone to a beautiful place in the sky,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. “She was an incredible woman, and will be missed far beyond words!”
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Mrs. Knavs was a Slovenian factory worker who, with her husband Viktor, was sponsored for U.S. citizenship in 2018 by her daughter, also Slovenia-born.
• Tom Howell Jr. contributed to this story.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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