What Vanessa Trump has been up to since her divorce from Donald Jr.
Vanessa Trump and Donald Trump Jr. announced the end of their marriage in the spring of 2018, according to Page Six, and their divorce was finalized at the end of the year. "We are incredibly fortunate to have five amazing children and are committed to raising them together," they said in a joint statement via People in early 2019. "Our children and their happiness will always be our first priority."
However, in the months between their initial announcement and the split being finalized, the former couple changed their divorce from an uncontested to a contested divorce, reportedly due to a dispute over child custody and finances, according to the Daily. Mail.
Ultimately, Vanessa and Don Jr. came to terms, and Don Jr. soon began dating former Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle. The relationship began in June 2019, before the Trumps' divorce was finalized, triggering some criticism. However, Vanessa came to the couple's defense on Twitter, writing, "The lengths people will go to attack a woman simply because she is dating Don. We have been separated for over 9 months and we respect each other's choices and privacy." She continued, "We will focus on raising our great children. It would be nice if the press did the same instead of obsessing over our pvt [sic] lives!
Find out after the jump how Vanessa has moved on and what options may be available post-divorce for her.
Vanessa Trump's marriage faced rumors of infidelity
Vanessa Trump had a privileged life before marrying into the Trump family. She grew up on New York's Upper East Side, The New York Times reported, and her mother, Bonnie Haydon, owned a modeling agency. Vanessa also became a model and signed with one of the top agencies, Wilhelmina Models. She even earned an acting credit for appearing in the opening scene of the 2003 film Something's Gotta Give with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, for Town & Country. In that same year, Vanessa met Donald Trump Jr., as well as her father, Donald Trump, at a fashion show. Vanessa and Don Jr. married two years later at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in a star-studded ceremony, People reported, with Don Jr.'s aunt, then-Judge Maryanne Trump Barry, officiating.
Vanessa and Don Jr.'s 12-year marriage later faced rumors of infidelity. When the couple announced their split, a model posted on Twitter that she had allegedly been dating Don Jr. in 2011, according to The Cut. Melissa Stetten showed a screenshot of a flirtatious DM Don Jr. allegedly sent her and wrote, "Surprised his marriage didn't work out as he was DMing me a month after his wife gave birth."
However, the biggest scandal was Celebrity Apprentice and Danity Kane member Aubrey O'Day. Don Jr. and O'Day reportedly began a romance during the show's fifth season in 2011. During an appearance on Ex on the Beach, O'Day called Don Jr. his soulmate, per Tmz.
Vanessa Trump is all about her kids
Vanessa Trump has kept a low profile since her divorce from Donald Trump Jr., and it seems her main focus has been on her five children: Kai, Donald III, Tristan, Spencer and Chloe. Although Vanessa has posted sporadically on her Twitter account, she provides updates on her children and keeps up with big milestones in the Trump family. Like many parents, Vanessa is staying home with her children and homeschooling during the coronavirus pandemic. In May 2020, Vanessa praised educators who are dealing with the new normal. "I commend all the teachers and schools that are trying to make remote learning fun and as enjoyable as possible under the circumstances," she posted. We're all going to get through this! As a mother of 5, the only way this works is by making learning fun!”
Vanessa's parenting has received praise within the Trump family, with Ivanka Trump telling People in 2016 that Vanessa is "a machine" (in a nice way). "She can take all of [my children] and they don't even realize it," Ivanka said. "She has five children and she is Wonder Woman to me."
Vanessa Trump's future is bright
Vanessa Trump is independently wealthy thanks to a reported inheritance from her father, Charles Haydon. The late attorney invested in Rao's Specialty Foods, best known for its marinara sauce, per Page Six. The 2017 sale of the company brought in $415 million, so the math works out pretty well for Vanessa if she inherited money from the Haydon estate.
Vanessa's former model manager, Christine Schott, had a suggestion for her client's next move. Schott, who was present when Vanessa met Don Jr. at the fashion show, told The New York Times in 2018, "I think she could still have a good career. She could be a mommy blogger and she could take on a cause. She's in a position to do something great."
Although her model days may be behind her, Vanessa could also return to fashion as a designer. People reported that Vanessa designed her own wedding dress when she married Don Jr., and like Ivanka, Vanessa launched a line of fashion bags from 2010 to 2013, according to Closer Weekly. Vanessa can see herself going back to her roots as she embarks on a new life. Tbd.
