How the Trump Family Built an Empire Across Generations
As Donald Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States, his family will be back in the spotlight. Even though we’ll focus most of the time on the political leader’s actions, the Trumps are a large and diverse clan. Oh, and trust us, it’s worth discovering them! While some love to be in the spotlight, others keep a low profile and try to keep their lives as private as possible.
Let’s say that Barron Trump is the newest family member who stole the show. Melania’s son charms the audience, eliciting many positive reactions. Some of Trump’s supporters are sure that, one day, Barron will be the President of the United States. Before we talk more about the President’s youngest son, look at Donald Trump’s family tree first! In this article, we’re going to discover: his parents, four siblings, five children, and the nieces, nephews, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren in between.
Meet the Trumps!
Fred Trump – Trump’s father
Fred Trump was born in 1905 and passed away in 1999. Fred Trump’s parents were German immigrants and he was born in the Bronx. Before amassing his fortune in real estate, Fred Trump worked in construction. Once he entered the business world, he basically ensured his family’s future. First, he started his company in Queens with his mother Elizabeth in 1927, calling it E. Trump & Son, and later, renamed it the Fred Trump Organization.
The scandals were always present in the Trump family. In 1927, Fred Trump was arrested for participating in a Ku Klux Klan march in Queens. And… that’s not all! He was also investigated for profiteering, first by the Senate in 1954 and then by the Senate of New York in 1966.
Despite his $300 million net worth, Fred Trump had an authoritarian parenting style and a frugal way of living. He passed away at age 93, from pneumonia, but he had also battled Alzheimer’s for six years.
Mary Trump – Trump’s mother
Mary MacLeod was a Scottish immigrant. She was born in 1912 on the Isle of Lewis and was the youngest of ten children. Right after her 18th birthday, she left Glasgow, Scotland, and moved to the United States.
Mary was a poor immigrant, who arrived in the United States with just $50 in her purse. Her life has completely changed when she met Fred Trump. The two instantly fell in love and married in 1936. Mary and Fred Trump had 5 children together and you’ll find all the information you need about them, below.
Trump’s mother died in 2000 at age 88.
Maryanne Trump Barry – Trump’s oldest sister
Maryanne Trump was 9 years older than Donald. She began her career in 1974 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 1983, Maryanne Trump Barry received recognition from President Reagan when she was nominated to the United States District Court of the District in New Jersey. 10 years later, she was nominated for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit by President Bill Clinton. In 2019, she retired as a federal judge.
Fred Trump Jr. – Trump’s oldest brother
Fred Trump Jr., the eldest Trump son, had been the first choice to take over the family business. Things didn’t go as planned and Fred Trump Jr. surprised his family when he chose to become a pilot. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a long and beautiful life. His worsening alcoholism forced him to quit his job and move back in with his parents. Fred Jr died at age 42, of a heart attack.
Elizabeth Trump Grau – Trump’s older sister
Elizabeth Trump Grau is the only currently living sibling of Donald Trump. She used to work at J.P. Morgan and married James Grau, a documentary producer. The two live in Palm Beach and have a peaceful life, far from the public’s eye.
Robert Trump – Trump’s younger brother
Robert Trump and Donald Trump had a close relationship. “He was not just my brother, he was my best friend,” said the President. In 2020, after his brother’s passing, Donald Trump organized the funeral at the White House.
Melania Trump – Trump’s wife
Melania Knauss was born in 1970, in Novo Mesto, Yugoslavia. She started working as a fashion model, in 1966 and immigrated to the United States, where she met Donald Trump. The two met when Donald Trump was going through his second divorce from Marla Maples.
Melania and Donald married in 2005 and the reception took place at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. The ceremony was attended by a lot of celebrities and political figures, including Hillary and Bill Clinton. In 2006, Melania gave birth to their son, Barron Trump.
When her husband moved into the White House in 2017, Melania and Barron chose to stay for a little longer in their Trump Tower penthouse. Melania delayed her son’s move to D.C. because she wanted him to finish the school year.
In 2024, Melania Trump released a memoir that rapidly became a bestseller. So, if you haven’t read it yet, make sure you do! You’ll find a lot of precious information about our First Lady and her life as a Slovenian immigrant.
Barron Trump – Trump’s youngest son
Barron is the only son of Donald and Melania and he stayed away from the public eye. In 2024, Barron Trump graduated from Oxbridge Academy and is now a freshman at New York University. The first lady said that their son is doing great and he loves his professors. He is happy that he’s able to enjoy New York City again.
Barron gained a lot of popularity in the past few months because of a video of him that went viral on TikTok. In the video, he was very small and was captured while getting ready for school. What left fans speechless was his Slovenian accent. He clearly spent a lot of time with his mother when he was younger, and since he was born, Melania has done her best to keep him interested in school. She truly believes it is the only way for him to become a successful man one day.
Ivana Trump – Trump’s first wife
Ivana Marie Zelníčková, known as Ivana Trump, was born in Czechoslovakia. She met Donald Trump in 1976, and they married a year later. The couple had together 3 children: Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka.
The two divorced in 1990, after Ivana encountered her husband’s mistress Marla Maples.
Ivana died in 2022 at age 73, after falling down the stairs at her home.
Donald Trump, Jr. – Trump’s oldest son
Donald Trump Jr. is the eldest son of Donald and Ivana. He is one of the most popular members of the family because, during his father’s first presidency, he managed the Trump Organization’s assets. Officially, he is the company’s executive vice president.
He was married to Vanessa Haydon, a famous American model, and they had 5 children together. In 2022 he got engaged with Kimberly Guilfoyle, but the couple split in 2024. Recently, Donald Trump Jr. has been linked to Bettina Anderson but we don’t know more information about his private life. He seems to always be there, in the political world, supporting his father.
Ivanka Trump – Trump’s oldest daughter
Ivanka is one of the most loved members of the Trump family and she took an active role in the White House during her father’s first presidency. This time, after Donald Trump was re-elected, Ivanka said that she will not work in his administration. She explained how much she loves policy and impact but deeply hates politics. Unfortunately, the two are not separable, so, Ivanka chose to make a step back.
Ivanka Trump is married to Jared Kushner and they have together three children.
Eric Trump – Trump’s son
Eric is Donald and Ivana’s youngest child. At the moment, he is the executive vice president at the Trump Organization and also the president of Trump Winery. In 2014 he married a famous producer, now known as Lara Trump. They have two children.
Marla Maples – Trump’s second wife
Marla Maples met Donald Trump in 1984, and they married in 1993. Marla grew up in Georgia and her life completely changed as soon as she moved to the United States. Shortly after their married ceremony, Marla and Donald welcomed their only child, Tiffany.
The couple officially divorced in 1999.
Tiffany Trump – Trump’s youngest daughter
Tiffany is Trump’s only child from his second marriage. Tiffany Trump graduated from Law School in 2020 and married Michael Boulos at Mar-a-Lago in 2024. The photos of Donald Trump and Tiffany from her wedding went viral. It was strange to see photos of a different and emotional Donald Trump.
Tiffany and her husband are expecting their first child in 2025.
Are you interested in reading more about American politics? Here is an article for you: “This Time Is Different” for Melania Trump.
