If Trump is elected, wife Melania would not be first foreign-born first lady

If Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wins, he has said he thinks his wife Melania would be an “unbelievable” first lady.

" Melania is a very beautiful woman both inside and out. She has got a tremendous heart. She feels so strongly about the women's health issues. In fact, she knows how strongly I feel about that, and she's always pushing me on women's health issues.”

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gives a thumbs up after his wife Melania spoke during the Republican National Convention, Monday, July 18, 2016, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Melania Trump is a former model who was born in the east European republic of Slovenia. She would not be the only first lady born outside of the United States. It happened once before in 1825. That was the year the sixth U.S. president, John Quincy Adams, took office.

A U.S. diplomat, John Quincy Adams met his future wife Louisa in London when she was 19 years old, according to the White House website. The two married three years later, but she did not arrive in the United States until 1801.

Melania Trump has not specifically talked about her possible role as first lady. But she said in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper that she often gives her husband her opinions on issues.

Melania Trump, wife of Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump speaks during the opening day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, July 18, 2016.

“I give him my opinions, many, many times. I’m my own person, I tell him what I think. I’m standing very strong on the ground on my two feet and I’m my own person. And I think that’s very important in the relationship.”

Eksterowicz said it is hard to say how involved Melania would be in a Trump administration because the pair has no history as a political couple.

“When I look at Melania Trump, I see a very, very steep learning curve. There’s virtually no experience in terms of Washington, politics, policy, it’s just not there. So she’s going to have to learn virtually everything.”

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English with additional reporting from VOA correspondent Catherine Maddux. Mario Ritter was the editor.

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