Melania Trump Says She Had ‘Beautiful Childhood’ Living Under Communism - Newsweek

First lady Melania Trump said Wednesday that she had a “very beautiful childhood” growing up under communism in Slovenia, offering a personal reflection on a political system her husband, President Donald Trump, has repeatedly invoked as a threat to the United States.

“I grew up, under the communism, and actually, I didn't miss anything,” Melania told Fox News Business. “I feel I had a very beautiful childhood, and, my parents provide a beautiful child for my family."

Her comments come as Donald Trump has increasingly used “communism” to attack Democrats and democratic socialists, telling a Republican convention audience this month: “They call themselves Democrat socialists, but actually, they're communists.”

Melania was born Melanija Knavs in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, in 1970 and grew up in the former Yugoslavia. She later moved to the United States in the 1990s to pursue her modeling career and became a U.S. citizen in 2006.

Asked what it was like to grow up under communism and whether that experience gave Eastern Europeans a different appreciation for freedom, Melania said her childhood itself was a positive one.

“But, yes, there are some certain things that, you know, you need to be aware of,” she said. “And you watched over what you do.”

“It's not as free as here in the United States now,” she added. “It's different time. But when I was growing up was not."

Melania grew up in socialist Yugoslavia, a communist-led federation that emerged after World War II. Slovenia was one of six republics in Yugoslavia, alongside Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia.

Yugoslavia was ruled by longtime communist leader Josip Broz Tito, but its system differed from the Soviet model. After Tito broke with Josef Stalin in 1948, Yugoslavia pursued its own form of socialism, including worker self-management, and remained independent of the Soviet bloc.

Political power remained concentrated in the Communist Party, although Slovenia was the most economically developed of Yugoslavia's republics. After Tito's death in 1980, economic and political tensions grew, and Slovenia moved toward multiparty democracy and independence.

Slovenia held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and declared independence from Yugoslavia on June 25, 1991. Melania, born in 1970, would have spent her childhood and teenage years under Yugoslavia's communist-led system before Slovenia became an independent country.

Melania's comments come as communism has become a recurring theme in President Trump's political rhetoric.

Donald Trump has repeatedly used the word “communist” when criticizing Democrats and some politicians associated with the democratic socialist movement.

In a July Fourth address, Trump said: “Communism is a loser and it always will be.” He continued: “Our warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the world only to have that menace rear its ugly head right back here in America. We're not gonna let it happen.”

Trump has also specifically described the Democratic Party as "becoming a communist party" and, at a June Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, he called some Democrats “hardcore, godless communists.”

He has also targeted the Democrats' progressive arm, the democratic socialists.

At the Republican Party's midterm convention in Dallas earlier this month, Trump said: “They call themselves Democrat socialists, but actually, they're communists.” He later warned that a Democratic victory could produce what he called “a communist caucus.”

Trump's comments have focused in part on a group of progressive candidates who have won Democratic primaries in 2026, including candidates challenging more establishment-aligned Democrats.

Democratic socialism and communism are not synonymous. FactCheck.org noted that democratic socialists and communists are distinct political traditions, while the Democratic Socialists of America describes its own program in terms of democratic control and collective ownership of key parts of the economy.

Melania also discussed her time as first lady during the Fox New Business interview, telling host Taylor Riggs that she was constantly working, sometimes to the detriment of family time.

Riggs acknowledged the first lady's demanding schedule and called her an "inspiration" to young moms who are "trying to do it all."

She asked if the first lady still tries to get the family together for dinner.

"My husband is working, sometimes in the Oval Office until 9:30 at night," Melania said. "We try to find time [but] it's less and less. The family time, it's suffering because of it."

The first lady added that the sacrifices they've had to make for family time are fine though because they're in Washington, D.C., to "work" and "do a good job" and that's the priority right now. She also noted that Barron, who's 20 years old, might even "be happy that I just want to do my stuff."

In terms of getting together as a family, she suggested that parents with demanding work lives "schedule" time together since each person can be very busy.

Unlike the president, the first lady position is unpaid, although she gets significant support in terms of staff that can help support her initiatives and operating funds. Along with her initiative to support foster youth, Trump is credited with helping to reunite children displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump spoke directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the reunification and when asked how she was able to make it happen, she told Fox News they have constant dialogue with the Russians.

Wednesday was a busy day for the first lady, who appeared on Fox News before she rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to kick off the NYSE summit and launch IMPERIA, an initiative focused on women CEOs and executives.

During the event, she praised women for being the foundation of the market since they're key consumers, investors, caregivers, innovators and often the manager of household finances.

"The world's biggest untapped economic force is not a new market, a breakthrough technology or an undiscovered natural resource. It is women coming together as owners," the first lady said at IMPERIA, the first NYSE summit designed exclusively for female CEOS and executives.

Melania went on to say that removing women from the workforce means fewer doctors, engineers, bankers and lawyers. She also brought the conversation back to the "invisible labor" that women do every day, like childcare, homeschooling and running households, and being the "support structure that lets others work for pay."

The role of first lady is unpaid, but there have been examples of presidential spouses earning income while their husbands were in office.

Jill Biden is the clearest modern example. During Joe Biden's presidency, she continued teaching English composition at Northern Virginia Community College while serving as first lady. Jill Biden's decision was notable because the first lady traditionally has not held a conventional outside job while living in the White House.

Her teaching career continued alongside her public responsibilities as first lady.

Eleanor Roosevelt also earned income during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency through writing, lectures and other work. She wrote the nationally syndicated newspaper column “My Day,” which began in 1935, and was a prolific public speaker and writer. The White House Historical Association notes that she also transformed the role of first lady through extensive public activity and political engagement.

Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Edward T. Cummins