Trump has stated that Melania reminds him of the deadly toll of Russian airstrikes on Ukraine.
Born in 1970 in the former Yugoslavia, Melania Trump grew up with no affection for Russia and maintains European ties, speaking Slovene and holding EU passports.
Author Mary Jordan suggests Melania's influence stems from her background and her home country's strong pro-Ukraine sentiment.
While her husband initially described Putin as “savvy” and “genius” after the 2022 invasion, Melania publicly called the war “heartbreaking” and “horrific”.