President Donald J. Trump, who commenced his second term on January 20, 2025, has been making waves alongside First Lady Melania Trump and the entire Trump family.
Despite being less than a month into the term, their influence is already palpable.
According to Fox News, Melania Trump, in particular, has been drawing attention for her return to the White House. Her transformation and growth over the years have been highlighted by Rgine Mahaux, the official photographer for the First Lady. In an exclusive interview with Hello! magazine, Mahaux stated, "Shes always been hands-on, but shes more free nowadays to make a statement." She further added, "Shes a different person than she was eight years ago and [yet] has always been true to herself."
Mahaux and others have noted that Melania Trump has "grown in confidence and stepped into her second term as first lady with newfound authority." The photographer also emphasized the First Lady's balance of strength and soft power, stating, "There is something in her the strong woman but at the same time, there is the soft power." This balance, according to Mahaux, extends to her relationship with President Trump, as she is "really good at balancing her husband. He's happy to make her happy and that's something very cute."
The photographer, who has been capturing the Trumps since 2008, noted that this dynamic has remained consistent over the years. "Hes a person who cares about his wife, and thats what I see every morning and night. He loves to look at her," Mahaux said of President Trump.
The Hello! piece also highlighted Melania Trump's special bond with the couple's son, Barron Trump, who is now 18 and attending the Stern School of Business at New York University. The First Lady's journey, which began when she first set foot on American soil at age 26, has been marked by determination and self-reliance. Born Melania Knauss, she arrived in the U.S. from Slovenia in 1996 with "youthful confidence."
In her bestselling memoir, "Melania," she wrote, "As an adult, there comes a moment when you become solely responsible for the life you lead. You must take charge, embrace that responsibility, and become the architect of your own future." She also acknowledged the influence of external factors, writing, "Life's circumstances shape you in many ways, often entirely beyond your control your birth, parental influences and the world in which you grow up."
Two years after moving to Manhattan, Melania met Donald Trump at a party. Recalling their first encounter in a 2016 interview with Harpers Bazaar, she said, "He wanted my number, but he was with a date, so of course I didnt give it to him. I said, I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you. I wanted to see what kind of number he would give me if it was a business number, What is this? Im not doing business with you."
After receiving all his numbers, Melania called him within a week, as previously reported by Fox News Digital. She was "struck by his energy," and in 2004, Trump proposed to her at the Met Gala in New York City. The following year, they had a lavish wedding that was described as fit for royalty.
Now, as Melania Trump settles into the White House once again in 2025, she is prepared and confident. "I know the rooms where we will be living. I know the process," she told "Fox & Friends" during a recent interview. "The first time was challenging. We didn't have much of the information. But this time, I have everything. I have plans So, it's very different."
Hello! magazine, in its recent cover story, described the First Lady as having a "renewed sense of purpose." She is reportedly "doubling down" on causes close to her heart, including her Be Best! anti-cyberbullying campaign and advocacy for children in foster care. Despite her glamorous image, those close to her describe her as a "hardworking and dedicated leader" who often works from "early as 6:30 a.m." and past midnight.
The First Lady is already hard at work in the White House, "revamping the historical residence while preserving its legacy," according to Hello! magazine. The publication described her as "an impressive, independent and strong woman who knows what she wants and how shes going to get it." It concluded, "She is ready to embrace the responsibility that comes with being one of the planets most recognizable women."
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