A first: Melania Trump cashes in on Washington, D.C, after years of sitting on financial sidelines

During her first tenure as First Lady, Melania Trump largely distanced herself from her husband’s business empire. However, with the return of Donald Trump to the White House, the US First Lady is no longer holding her “Apprentice” side back.

The Donald Trump family is not one to shy away from business; his first two spouses, Ivana and Marla, his children, Ivanka, Don Jr., and Eric, have all taken a piece of the Trump business empire cake.

Melania Trump, who has been in marriage with the 47th US President since 2005, hadn’t really tapped into the famous name to pick up the profits; until now.

Following her husband’s release of a digital meme, the Official Trump (TRUMP) two days before his Inauguration, Melania launched her own token Official Melania Meme (MELANIA) on January 19. 

Future, Play, Freedom.

Learn all about the official MELANIA Meme here:https://t.co/V0Mof82Tq6
$MELANIA pic.twitter.com/XUl9W6hKvB

— MelaniaMeme (@TrueMELANIAmeme) January 31, 2025

Although details about the ventures remain “murky,” it is speculated that if the bulk of the proceeds from the initial sale went to the 54-year-old former model, her earnings could exceed $400 million, more than six times her estimated net worth. 

Balancing business and family

Business is not something new for Melania Trump, she hasn’t just used her “political” voice yet. In 2010, she launched her own jewelry line, Melania Timepieces and Jewelry, which was sold through QVC. The brand quickly became a commercial success, and over the past decade, Melania has earned an estimated $45 million from the venture. 

Before her full embrace of entrepreneurship, Melania’s early business ventures were not as profound as they were in the last decade. In the mid-2000s, she appeared on the cover of Vogue, celebrating her wedding to Donald Trump. Her career appeared to be on hold for several years as she focused on family, but by 2009, she was preparing a business comeback. 

Working closely with the Trump Organization, Melania launched a series of jewelry collections, each reflecting different aspects of her life. She also appeared on QVC for hour-long segments, selling out her items in record time. However, by 2014, her earnings had dwindled to under $15,000 annually.

Undeterred, she pivoted to skincare, signing a licensing deal to promote a product line. But her partner in the venture failed to honor their agreement, leaving her with only a $250,000 settlement after the promised $1 million advance fell through.

A shift in priorities as First Lady for Melania Trump

When Donald Trump entered politics, Melania’s business aspirations took a backseat. After Donald’s presidential campaign in 2015, the family dynamic changed, and Melania largely kept her distance from her husband’s political career, spending “family time” in New York with their son, Barron, who was 9 years old by then. 

The separation from Washington, D.C., allowed Melania to leverage her position, reportedly securing a more favorable financial arrangement for herself and Barron.

As First Lady, Melania Trump remained somewhat detached from financial endeavors. She earned the most from royalties for a 2017 Getty Images deal, but otherwise, her earnings were “modest.” Financial disclosure reports show that, aside from a few thousand in residual earnings from Getty, she made no significant income during her first four years in the White House.

A successful memoir: Why Trump’s second term started well for Melania

As revealed in a recent Forbes feature, in October, Melania Trump released her memoir, “Melania,” a self-titled book that quickly rose to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. The book’s success appears to have captured the attention of filmmakers, with reports surfacing that Amazon agreed to pay $40 million to license a movie and docuseries based on Melania’s life. 

Melania Trump's memoir soars to top spot on several Amazon 'Best Sellers' lists weeks before its release https://t.co/R9F94FLxPH

— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 26, 2024

The book does more than include a personal touch; Melania revealed her father had recorded her childhood, creating a trove of tapes documenting the future First Lady’s years as a young girl trying to make a name for herself.

On Monday, the White House released Melania Trump’s 47th US First Lady portrait, which features her standing at the end of a table, hands braced on its surface, much like her husband posed for Forbes in 2015, months before his first tenure at the oval office. 

CNN described her look in the image as “a sense of business power” rather than a traditional “lady-like” portrayal that most US First Ladies take.