Amalija Knavs, the mother of former first lady of the United States Melania Trump, has died at the age of 78. Her daughter announced her sad loss through a message on her official X account (previously Twitter).

“It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija,” writes the wife of former North American President Donald Trump, adding that her mother was always “a strong woman” who “conducted herself with grace, warmth and dignity.”

In the message, Melania Trump does not specify the causes of her death, although it is known that the woman had been in poor health for several months. For this reason, her daughter had moved with her parents last December, dedicating herself to caring for her and canceling all of her professional commitments.

The last time Melania Trump could be seen in public was on December 15, at which time it is believed that she stayed in Florida, the state where she has resided since former President Donald Trump left the White House and where the parents of the former model.

It was precisely Donald Trump who broke the news that his mother-in-law was ill, excusing his wife’s absence from their traditional New Year’s party at their Mar-a-Lago residence. There, in the middle of the speech, he reported that Melania was not among them because Amalija was “very sick”, suggesting that she was hospitalized in a medical center in Miami.

“We will miss her beyond measure and will continue to honor and love her legacy,” he concluded.

Born in Slovenia, Knavs and her husband, Viktor, became U.S. citizens in 2018 after living in the country as permanent residents. During Trump’s term, it was known that Knavs and her husband lived in the White House to be close to their daughter and her grandson, Barron Trump (17).