'Accompanied by blonde woman': Melania recalls her first meeting with husband Trump

In her new memoir named ' Melania', Melania Trump opened up about her first encounter with Donald Trump , revealing that the future president was on a date with another woman when he began to show interest in her. The meeting took place at a Fashion Week party in 1998, where Melania was attending with a friend.

Melania recounted that Donald approached their table, even though he was accompanied by an "attractive blonde woman." He introduced himself, saying, "'Hi. I’m Donald Trump,'" to which she responded, '"Nice to meet you'".

At the time she "recognized the name" but didn’t know much about the " Celebrity Apprentice " star who "put his hand out to shake mine". As they shook hands, she noticed his "eyes filled with curiosity and interest." Donald then took a seat next to her, initiating a conversation about her life in New York, her home country of Slovenia, and her world travels.

Despite being a "brief encounter," Melania described their interaction as a "moment of connection" that left "a lasting impression" on her. She wrote, "From the moment our conversation began, I was captivated by his charm and easygoing nature. There was so much bustling activity around us, but his intent focus on our interaction made me feel like the center of his world."

Although Melania initially saw their conversation as "mere pleasantries" since Donald "was accompanied by a beautiful date," the dynamics shifted when the other woman stepped away. At that moment, Donald asked for Melania’s phone number.

Melania "politely declined his request," which caught Donald by surprise. Instead, she suggested Trump give her his number, to which he agreed but on one condition. "‘I’ll give you my number,’ he said, 'if you promise to call me,'" she recalled. Donald then called over his bodyguard, who wrote down his contact information on a business card, which he handed to Melania.

Though it’s not clear how long it took for Melania to reach out, the two eventually began a relationship, dating on and off before getting married in 2005. They later welcomed their son, Barron Trump , in 2006.

In other parts of the memoir, Melania reflects on her relationship with Donald, acknowledging that they do not always agree. She specifically highlighted her support for women’s reproductive rights , which contrasts with her husband's stance on abortion.

"It is imperative to guarantee that women have autonomy in deciding their preference of having children, based on their own convictions, free from any intervention or pressure from the government," she wrote in her memoir. "Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body? A woman’s fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes."