What Supposedly Changed Ivanka And Melania Trump's Relationship

Rumors about the prickly nature of Ivanka Trump and Melania Trump's relationship swirled during Donald Trump's first presidential term. The two were seemingly at odds, with one source telling The Atlantic in April 2019 that Ivanka and Melania had a "desire to be mutually respectful." If that was the mark Donald's daughter and wife were aiming for, then a lot of work would need to be done. Details about the reported tension between Ivanka and Melania were revealed in a book published in August 2020 titled "Melania and Me." The book, written by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former adviser to Melania, described how Ivanka tried to meddle in Donald's inauguration which led to "Operation Block Ivanka" being launched, via Intelligencer. This was spearheaded by aides, but Melania was privy to the plan. Tensions between Ivanka and Melania may have boiled over then, but the pair appeared to repair their relationship during a tumultuous time for the Trump family.

One major silver lining of Donald's guilty verdict in the hush money case in June 2024 was that it banded the family together. "The entire family including all Trump's children ... are all circling the wagons," a source told Page Six at the time. This appeared to be a turning point in Ivanka and Melania's relationship. "Words of support have overridden any past tension as the family comes together," the insider added.

The following month, both Ivanka and Melania were on hand at the Republican National Convention together. In December 2024, both women were present when Donald rang the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange. Perhaps Ivanka and Melania would never be besties, but they appeared to bury the hatchet. That same year, details about their apparent rift came to light in a book about Melania's time as first lady.

The reported friction between Ivanka Trump and Melania Trump ran deeper than just inauguration day disputes. In February 2024, the book "American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden" detailed Melania's stint as the first lady and how she often butted heads with her daughter-in-law. According to the book, author Katie Rogers wrote that the issues between the two women stemmed from Ivanka attempting to take over many of the duties assigned to the first lady. It was a coup of sorts, as Ivanka took control in the East Wing of the White House while Melania was still living in New York looking after Barron Trump. Rogers claimed in her book that Melania referred to Ivanka as "The Princess" and that the former first lady's controversial "I really don't care, do you?" jacket was a not-so-subtle jab at her daughter-in-law.

Perhaps due to the reported in-house tension with Melania during Donald Trump's first term, Ivanka ditched politics after her father's time in office was up. She doubled down in November 2022 when Donald once again ran for president. Even after he was re-elected, sources told CNN that Ivanka had no intention of rejoining politics.

Just before Donald was re-elected, Melania released her self-titled memoir in October 2024, which gave rare insight into her reported tension with Donald's oldest daughter. "While I may not agree with every opinion or choice expressed by Donald's grown children ... I acknowledge that different viewpoints are a natural aspect of human relationships," Melania wrote.

Of course, the book did not outright cite names or specific arguments, but it hinted at past feuds. "[E]ach person is deserving of respect and understanding, regardless of disagreements," Melania added.