Melania Trump dating history: Was this man her boyfriend before Donald Trump?
Melania Trump is the First Lady of the US, having been married to Donald Trump for 13 years. Before that the couple had been dating for seven years, meeting just two years after she moved to the US. Who did Melania date before Donald?
The two met just two years after the then 28-year-old model moved to New York, with dreams of building a successful modelling career.
But before Melania moved to the US she lived a very different life in Europe, living in Paris, Milan and her home capital city of Ljubljana.
Having only met Donald when she was 28, who else did Melania date before, and what does it reveal about her?
When Melania was back in her home country it is claimed that she dated a young man called Jure Zorcic for several months.
Talking to ABC in 2016, Jure claimed he and Melania used to date while they were both living in Slovenia, meeting in 1991.
"We met each other like in a movie," her former flame said. "It was a hot summer day, in between wars in Slovenia.
“It was the beginning of a new political era for us, the city was empty, blocked by the army.
"I was on my motorbike, and she has been walking down a street. As I passed by her, I had a moment and thought, 'Wow, who is this girl? She is so beautiful, I must turn back and follow her.’”
The man claimed that him and Melania spent the summer together, spending days by the Croatian sea with friends.
On his first encounter with the now First Lady, he said: “It was a bit of shock when I met her," he said. "She is very special, that's the truth."
The man revealed that Melania always knew she wanted to live abroad, but in Italy or France, not the US.
He also revealed that he thought she was destined for a “life of fashion”.
However, Trump family spokesperson Hope Hicks dismissed the young man’s claims, telling the Daily Mail: “This is yet another person trying to use Mrs Trump's name for publicity. The facts are not accurate."
Melania moved from Slovenia to New York in 1996 to pursue her modelling career.
She had had a successful career back in Europe, walking in shows in Paris and Milan.
Melania began her modelling career at the young age of five and started appearing in commercial work when she was just 16.
With the help of Slovenian fashion photographer Stane Jerko, Melania started taking her modelling seriously, signing up to an agency in Milan at the age of 18.
In 1992, she was named runner-up in the Jana Magazine "Look of the Year" contest, held in Ljubljana, which promised its top three contestants an international modelling contract.
