28 September 2023 , 23:13
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Melania Trump has reportedly "quietly" negotiated her prenup with her husband Donald ahead of his potential second term in the White House.
An inside source told Page Six that the couple have been "quietly negotiating a new 'postnup' agreement" over the last year. It comes as Trump, who married Melania in 2005, leads the polls for the Republican presidential candidacy, despite having not shown up to either debate.
The source added that this is "at least the third time Melania has renegotiated the terms of her marital agreement". However, they clarified that it's not because the First Lady, who has appeared distant from Trump amid his mounting legal woes, is planning on going anywhere.
"Melania is most concerned about maintaining and increasing a substantial trust for their son, Barron", the source close to Melania, 53, told Page Six. Barron, now 17, was born just a year after the pair wed and is the youngest of Trump's five children from his three marriages.
The couple tied the knot in 2005 and welcome son Barron, now 17, in 2006 (AFP via Getty Images)According to the source, the latest agreement also provides for Melania when it comes to both money and property. A second source explained: "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".
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The initial source said the agreement hasn't just been updated ahead of Trump, 77, potentially serving a second term as President, but due to his recent, and mounting, legal battles. They said: "This agreement was necessary because of the current legal battles... [Donald] has suffered".
This includes potential payouts of $250 million in New York Attorney General Letitia James' fraud case along with Trump's order to pay columnist E Jean Carroll $5 million for defaming her. Trump has pleaded not guilty in the case brought about by Ms James and is appealing Ms Carroll's case against him.
Melania's renegotiation reportedly aimed to ensure future security for not only her, but their son Barron (AFP via Getty Images)"Trump remains very rich, but with mountain legal bills and judgements [the renegotiated prenup would] provide a more solid future" for Melania and Barron if the couplewere to split, according to the source.
They stressed: "It's not that she threatened to leave him. It's definitely the underlying idea."
But it's not the first time the idea of a prenup negotiation between Melania and Donald has surfaced. In 'The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump' by Washington Post writer Mary Jordan, it was alleged the former First Lady renegotiated the couple's prenup in 2017 - at the same time as she was delaying her move from Manhattan to the White House.
The book, which came out in 2020, is said to be based on more than one hundred interviews. It said of Melania: "She wanted proof in writing that when it came to financial opportunities and inheritance, Barron would be treated as more of an equal to Trump's oldest three children" (Ivana, Eric, Ivanka and Donald Jr).