Who Is Melania Trump’s Best Friend? She Is Neither a Singer Nor an Actress—But You Know Her Well
Behind the quiet elegance and public reserve of Melania Trump, former First Lady of the United States, stands a woman whose loyalty and presence have been both influential and discreet. Though not a celebrity in the traditional sense—neither a singer nor an actress—Melania’s best friend is someone many have come to know through headlines, controversies, and quiet loyalty: Stephanie Winston Wolkoff.
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, once a respected New York fashion and event planner, was not just a friend but a trusted confidante. She first met Melania in the early 2000s, when both women moved in the elite fashion and social circles of New York City. Stephanie held a powerful position as a senior advisor to Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and was instrumental in organizing the Met Gala—New York’s premier fashion event. Their shared interest in fashion, discretion, and elegance quickly built a strong bond between them.
When Donald Trump entered the political arena in 2016, that friendship deepened. Melania, notoriously private and wary of outsiders, leaned on Stephanie not just for companionship but also for help in navigating the harsh spotlight of national politics. In fact, Wolkoff was appointed as an unpaid senior advisor to the First Lady and was deeply involved in planning the inauguration and helping establish Melania’s East Wing office.
However, what began as a warm alliance would take a darker turn. In 2018, Stephanie was ousted from her role amid scrutiny over spending related to the inauguration—a controversy that raised eyebrows and created tension. But the real shock came in 2020 when Wolkoff released a tell-all memoir titled “Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady.”
In the book, she chronicled not only the behind-the-scenes world of the White House but also private conversations she had secretly recorded with Melania. The tapes revealed the First Lady’s candid thoughts on everything from the border crisis to Christmas decorations—sparking widespread media reaction. Many saw it as a betrayal; others viewed it as an eye-opening look into Melania’s complex world.
Despite the fallout, one thing was clear: Stephanie Winston Wolkoff had once been closer to Melania Trump than almost anyone else outside the family. She knew her moods, her private opinions, her frustrations, and her ambitions. She was there during intimate moments of transition and turmoil. And while their friendship may have ended, its echoes still linger in public memory.
Melania has not publicly named another close female friend since. True to her nature, she has kept her circle even tighter. But for a time, Stephanie was the woman behind the woman—neither a celebrity nor a performer, but a powerful figure in her own right, and undeniably the closest friend Melania ever let in.
