Donald Trump's first wife Ivana, who says that she really is "First Lady," recently was "ripped apart" by Melania Trump for attempting to lay claim to the coveted role shared by less than 50 women in American history. Although she did not immediately move into the White House upon her husband's inauguration on January 20, 2017, Melania is proud of her position as First Lady and is not about to share it with any of her husband's former wives.
Ivana's claim that she is, in fact, the actual First Lady appears to be based more on the fact that she was Donald Trump's first wife, than on the fact that the man to whom she was married later became President. Ivana also stated that she never calls the White House because Melania is there.
Ivana's book
Ivana Trump, who is the mother of Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump, is busily promoting her new book, "Raising Trump," which is being released in bookstores on Tuesday. The book is a recounting of Ivana's courtship and life with 'the Donald.'
Consternation with Marla Maples
In an interview with Amy Robach of ABC News, Ivana Trump revealed that although she has a "cordial" relationship with Melania, that she has no respect for Trump's second wife, Marla Maples.
The future President had an affair with Maples while he was married to Ivana. This broke up the marriage of Donald and Ivana Trump. Later, Trump married Maples and then that marriage broke up. Finally, Trump married Melania, and Barron Trump, who now is 11, came into the world in March of 2006.
Would not want coveted role
Even though Ivana is claiming to "be the "real thing," she has made it abundantly clear that she would not want to have the actual role of First Lady. Ivana likened being First Lady to having to speak using a teleprompter, interpreting contracts, conducting negotiations, and entertaining. The President's first wife stated that although she feels that she certainly is capable of doing all of those things, that she does not enjoy them and is not interested in having to do them.
It seems that Ivana is thinking of the title of First Lady in chronological terms (as Trump's first wife) and not so much in political and ceremonial terms. Melania is not the only female of the Trump family who is carrying out official duties. For instance, Ivanka Trump was Trump's official representative at the G20 summit last summer.
White House official statement
Melania Trump's official spokesperson Stephanie Grisham issued a statement in response to Ivana's claims. Grisham stated that the First Lady "loves Washington" and that she is hoping to assist children, as opposed to selling books. Grisham, who chose to portray Ivana as "self-serving," stated that all of Ivana's claims add up to nothing other than "attention seeking and self-serving noise," according to The Huffington Post on Monday.
Jane Wyman
Ivana Trump is not the first ex-wife of a President to be deprived the role of First Lady. Actress Jane Wyman had been married to Ronald Reagan years before he met Nancy Davis. Reagan married Davis and later became Governor of California and President of the United States. Rather than writing books and laying claim to the title "First Lady," Wyman starred in the network television series "Falcon Crest," which was about the many problems faced by a Sonoma Valley wine-making family.