Ivana Trump, the first wife of former President Donald Trump, passed on Thursday afternoon at her Manhattan residence. Her high-profile marriage was only overshadowed by a tumultuous divorce. She was 73.
At 12:40 pm, the Upper East Side’s 10 East 64th Street received a call reporting a cardiac arrest. She looks to have died of natural causes, according to officials, and the death is not being investigated as suspicious.
Her passing was confirmed by a statement from the Trump family.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Ivana Trump,” it read. “Our mother was an incredible woman — a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and a caring mother and friend. Ivana Trump was a survivor. She fled from communism and embraced this country. She taught her children about grit and toughness, compassion, and determination. She will be dearly missed by her mother, her three children, and ten grandchildren.”
Ivana Trump served in important executive roles for the Trump Organization after she wed Donald Trump in 1977.
As Donald Trump’s affair with Marla Maples became known, their tumultuous marriage and divorce—which was finally formalized in 1992—became the focus of international attention.
Ivana Trump passed away at her home in New York City, as I am deeply heartbroken to notify all of her many admirers, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“She was an outstanding, lovely, and delightful woman who lived a wonderful and motivating life. Her three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric, were her pride and delight. She was extremely proud of them, just as we all were of her. Let Ivana rest in peace.”
She created her own apparel, jewelry, and beauty product companies after the divorce. She also wrote a column and many books, the most recent of which was titled “Raising Trump.”
She told ABC News before the publication of “Raising Trump” that she still spoke to her ex-husband around every two weeks and that she had a “direct number” to the White House.
She referred to Melania Trump, the first lady, at the time, saying, “I (don’t) really want to call him there, because Melania is there.” “I also don’t want to incite any sort of rivalry or anything similar because I’m essentially First Trump Wife. OK? First Lady: I am.”
The book documented her journey from growing up under Communist rule in former Czechoslovakia to marrying a future U.S. president and raising their three children together.
