Ivana Trump joked that she is the first lady. Melania Trump took it seriously.
Melania Trump once warned anyone thinking of crossing President Trump that "when her husband gets attacked, he will punch back 10 times harder." In fact, Melania did some punching back herself Monday after Trump's ex-wife, Ivana Trump, joked to Good Morning America that "I'm basically [the] first Trump wife. I'm first lady, okay?"
Ivana Trump prefaced the comment — an apparent riff on being Trump's first wife — by noting she remains on friendly terms with the president, who is the father of her children, Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric. She added that she avoids calling Trump's direct number too frequently for fear of making Melania Trump jealous.
Melania Trump expressed her irritation with Ivana Trump's statement through a spokesperson. "Mrs. Trump has made the White House a home for Barron and the president. She loves living in Washington, D.C., and is honored by her role as first lady of the United States."
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The statement added that Melania "plans to use her title and role to help children, not sell books. There is clearly no substance to this statement from an ex. Unfortunately only attention seeking and self-serving noise." Ivana Trump's newest book, Raising Trump, will be released Tuesday.
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