Melania Trump Was Reportedly More Than Willing To Play Into Donald Trump's Business Mogul Image

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

Melania Trump has stayed by Donald Trump’s side despite his alleged infidelities and his recent criminal conviction. While his loyal supporters would say it’s a sign of their strong marriage, one former Trump insider is claiming that their relationship is all smoke and mirrors.

More from SheKnows

Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, the former first lady’s trusted adviser and author of Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady, spoke about the facade that the couple puts up in public. “Many may think ‘DADDY’S HOME’ is a Father’s Day video. Nope! Millions of Americans watched The Apprentice. Donald was a household name. He needed a woman who looked & played the part & let him be the star. Marrying Melania & making her a Vogue Cover model —legitimized them both.” she wrote on X, along with a 2007 season teaser of The Apprentice. (You can see the video HERE.)

THE APPRENTICE 5, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, 'Season Finale', (Season 5, episode 515, aired live from the Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, CA, on June 5, 2006), 2004-, photo: Chris Haston / © NBC / Courtesy: Everett Collection
THE APPRENTICE 5, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, ‘Season Finale’, (Season 5, episode 515, aired live from the Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, CA, on June 5, 2006).

The clip shows Melania waltzing down the steps in a sunny, palm tree-lined landscape as she holds a tiny Barron in her arms. She coos, “Hi, Daddy. Daddy’s coming home” as Donald Trump exits a white convertible and responds, “Hi, honey.” He then gives his wife and son a kiss. “Hello, honey. Welcome home,” she says in a sing-song voice. Wolkoff had more to say about The Apprentice’s impact on Donald Trump’s popularity. She added, “What catapulted Donald J. Trump “businessman” and his “supermodel” wife to the White House was a MIRAGE created by Survivor producer Mark Burnett and NBC boss Jeff Zucker.”

Everyone had to play their part for Donald Trump to ascend to the Oval Office, and even though Melania had no desire to be the First Lady of the United States, she was very happy to be the wife of a real estate mogul. Earlier this year, Wolkoff told CNN, via the HuffPost, that the Trumps’ marriage was purely “transactional.” She said, “I think people have to remember who Melania really is. There is no enigma, there is no mysteriousness. Melania really is who she has portrayed herself to be.”

Wolkoff alleged that “by marrying Donald, Melania really did finally get to be the Vogue cover model that she’s always wanted to be, that supermodel, and by marrying Melania, Donald was legitimized as trying to get away from that whole playboy mentality that everyone wanted to characterize him as.” It was a win-win for both of them and by playing her part perfectly, she got everything she wanted until his political ambitions took over.

Before you go, click here to see the best presidential love stories in U.S. history.

Barack Obama Michelle Obama Ronald Nancy Reagan Best Presidential Love Stories in U.S. History
Barack Obama Michelle Obama Ronald Nancy Reagan Best Presidential Love Stories in U.S. History

Best of SheKnows

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.