By Marisa Laudadio
9:35am PST, Nov 12, 2023
What she wanted and who benefits
"This is at least the third time Melania [Trump] has renegotiated the terms of her marital agreement," a source told Page Six in September.
But the source insisted that Melania isn't planning to leave Donald Trump. Her reasons for securing herself a better deal, the source explained, primarily concern her teenage son, Barron Trump.
"Melania is most concerned about maintaining and increasing a substantial trust for their son, Barron," the source explained.
A second insider further told Page Six, "I know that she wanted it to provide her with more money, and also — from what I understand — there's a specific amount at minimum that Barron is supposed to obtain."
However, the source admitted that Melania's getting something out of it too, as the newest agreement also provides additional money and property for her as well.
Page Six noted that the Trumps' reps did not reply to a request for comment on the story.
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The timing and her reasons
According to Page Six's first source, the reasons Melania Trump — seen here with her husband the same year they married — allegedly renegotiated her marital agreement with Donald Trump for the third time are twofold: She did it both because the former president could, if elected in 2024, serve another term in the White House, making her first lady again, and because he's facing so many legal issues — both criminal and civil — that have financial repercussions.
"This agreement was necessary because of the current legal battles … [Donald] has suffered," the source explained — and not just the criminal indictments but the civil ones, including New York Attorney General Letitia James's $250 civil case against him and his real estate business, a court order requiring him to pay $5 million to E. Jean Carroll for defaming her and more.
"Trump remains very rich, but with mounting legal bills and judgments," the source said, explaining that a renegotiated marital agreement will "provide a more solid future" for Melania and son Barron Trump.
"It's not that she threatened to leave him," the source warned, but "it's definitely the underlying idea."
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It's not her first renegotiation
It's believed that this isn't the first time Melania Trump — who signed a prenup when she married Donald Trump in 2005 — has renegotiated her marital agreement with the business mogul, reality TV star and politician.
Page Six pointed out that Washington Post writer Mary Jordan's 2020 book "The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump" reported that Melania renegotiated her prenup in 2017 — at the same time she was delaying her move to Washington, D.C., from New York City after Donald took office.
According to the book, "She wanted proof in writing that when it came to financial opportunities and inheritance, [son Barron Trump] would be treated as more of an equal to Trump's oldest three children" — Donald Trump Jr., 45, Ivanka Trump, 41, and Eric Trump, 39, who are Donald's kids with his first wife, the late Ivana Trump. Donald also has a daughter, Tiffany Trump, 29, with second wife Marla Maples, 59.
At the time the book came out, Melania's spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, branded it "yet another book about Mrs. Trump with false information and sources. It's worth noting that in 2021, Stephanie published her own Melania tell-all.
What he said about Melania's prenup
A year after marrying Melania Trump — his third wife — Donald Trump said their prenup actually made their marriage stronger.
"It's a hard, painful, ugly tool," he said, as reported by New York magazine in 2006. "Believe me, there's nothing fun about it. But there comes a time when you have to say, 'Darling, I think you're magnificent, and I care for you deeply, but if things don't work out, this is what you're going to get.'"
The details of the original prenup she signed before their 2005 wedding have not been disclosed.
Donald's prenup past: Ivana's deal
The New York Times has reported that Donald had four prenups with first ex-wife Ivana Trump (pictured), who died at 73 in 2022.
According to The Times, when Donald and Ivana settled their divorce in 1991 as he was facing financially issues, she ended up with $14 million, a 45-room mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut, an apartment in the Trump plaza and the use of their Florida home, Mar-a-lago, for one month a year. He also had to pay her about $650,000 a year in child support for their three children.
Earlier in their divorce fight, it had been revealed that the last of the former couple's four prenups was supposed to give Ivana $25 million plus the Connecticut mansion or another $12 million instead of the mansion if that property was sold before they were divorced.
A judge granted Ivana's divorce petition on the grounds of cruel and inhuman treatment by her husband. They were married for 13 years.
Donald's prenup past: Marla's deal
Second wife Marla Maples once told Vanity Fair her prenup negotiations with Donald Trump were "a big battle," revealing the document was given to her just a few days before their 1993 wedding.
Marla got just $2 million after they split after less than four years of marriage and one child together. According to reports, their agreement gave her $1 million if they separated within five years and another $1 million to buy a home. Marla also had to sign an NDA.
Their prenup also specified that Donald would cease his $100,000 annual child support payments for their daughter, Tiffany, when she turned 21 or if she got a full-time job, enlisted in the military or joined the Peace Corps.
