Melania Trump reveals the unexpected childhood passion she shared with her father

Melania Trump has revealed a surprising side of her childhood in Slovenia, opening up about an early passion that might not be the first thing people associate with the former model.

During a rare live interview at the IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, August 23, Melania reflected on her longtime fascination with cars and revealed that it began thanks to her father, Viktor Knavs.

“When I was growing up, my father introduced me to races and to race cars,” she told Fox Sports commentator Jamie Little. Melania recalled that her father owned an impressive collection that included a Maserati, Cougar, Mustang and Mercedes.

“He introduced me to the design of cars, and the mechanics, and also the speed,” she added.

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The first lady, who grew up in Sevnica, Slovenia, said she “loved every minute” of the racing event, making it clear that her childhood interest has stayed with her decades later.

Two very different influences at home:

Cars weren’t the only world of design surrounding Melania as she grew up. While her father introduced her to automobiles, her mother, Amalija Knavs, had ties to the fashion industry.

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Amalija worked at a textile factory in Slovenia, while Viktor worked as a car dealer. Melania and her sister, Ines, were raised by the couple in Sevnica before Melania attended high school in Ljubljana and eventually embarked on a modeling career.

That family background makes Melania’s latest comments particularly revealing. Two interests that would become closely associated with her adult image, fashion and design, were already present in different forms at home.

© Alex Wong

Melania began modeling while still young and later pursued the profession internationally. She eventually moved to New York in 1996, where she met Donald Trump two years later. The couple married in 2005.

A personal revelation with a larger purpose:

Melania’s appearance at the Freedom 250 also highlighted her work with young people transitioning out of foster care.

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During the interview, she spoke about Fostering the Future, her initiative aimed at expanding educational and career opportunities for young adults who have been in the foster care system.

“They need to have the same opportunities as other children,” Melania said, adding that the program has now expanded to universities across the country.

© Kevin Dietsch

Just days before the race, the first lady appeared at the White House to announce another expansion of the initiative. IndyCar and Fox Corporation are contributing $2 million to support scholarships at Indiana University and Purdue University.

Melania encouraged leaders across the country to participate, saying, “I encourage every governor in every state to sign in and support foster children.”

The Washington race was held as part of celebrations surrounding the United States’ 250th anniversary and drew President Donald Trump, Melania and other members of the Trump family.