Melania Trump may get name on the Kennedy opera house. What has she done as first lady?
- A House committee advanced a measure to rename the Kennedy Center Opera House after Melania Trump.
- Melania Trump has championed the "Take it Down Act" and participated in various public appearances.
- She is the second foreign-born first lady and the only one to become a naturalized citizen.
A House panel advanced a measure on July 22 that would rename part of the Kennedy Center after first lady Melania Trump.
The measure was voted on as part of a larger amendment approved by the Appropriations Committee. The larger House and Senate still have to vote on the spending bill. If it passes, the opera house would be named the "First Lady Melania Trump Opera House." Currently, the theater is just designated as the "Opera House," located between the "Concert Hall" and the "Eisenhower Theater."
Melania Trump is President Donald Trump's third wife. While the president's first six months back in office have been a whirlwind of news, the first lady has largely stayed out of the spotlight. Here is what to know about the first lady:
What has Melania Trump done as first lady?
Melania Trump played a key role in advocating for the Take it Down Act, which the president signed into law on May 19. The law criminalizes nonconsensual, explicit images created by artificial intelligence, often known as deepfakes. Outside of that advocacy, she has appeared in her official capacity sparingly since her husband returned to office.
One of her appearances was actually at the Kennedy Center for a showing of "Les Misérables," where she stood alongside Trump as the crowd booed and cheered.
Through the spring, she spoke at the International Women of Courage Awards, attended Pope Francis' funeral (on her 55th birthday), helped host the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, and hosted a celebration of military mothers and a stamp unveiling honoring former first lady Barbara Bush.
She also attended the Army's 250th anniversary parade in D.C., which occurred on Trump's 79th birthday.
Melania Trump visited a D.C.-area children's hospital ahead of the Fourth of July, and appeared with the president as he signed the "Big Beautiful Bill" on the holiday. The following week, she visited the flood-ravaged areas of Texas. Later, she attended FIFA Club World Cup final, where her husband went viral for staying on stage for the winning team's celebration.
When did Donald Trump marry Melania?
Donald Trump and model Melania Knauss got married in 2005. They met in 1998, two years after she moved to New York.
Does Melania Trump have a college degree?
No. According to the American Presidency Project, Melania Trump did not complete a degree but attended the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia for one year.
Is Melania Trump an immigrant?
Yes, she was born in Slovenia and moved to the U.S. in 1996. Slovenia is a country in Eastern Europe between Croatia and Austria.
Melania Trump was born as Melanija Knavs but changed her name to Melania Knauss and later Melania Trump.
She is the only first lady to become a naturalized citizen and the second first lady born outside the United States. (The first was Louisa Catherine Adams, married to John Quincy Adams, who was president from 1825-1829.)
See photos of Melania Trump before she became first lady, when she met Trump as a young model
Contributing: Bart Jansen, Jennifer Sangalang, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Maria Francis, Anthony Robledo, Paste BN Network
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the Paste BN Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.