Donald Trump’s second wife Marla Maples chose a rural life after divorce

Donald Trump’s second marriage, to Marla Maples, didn’t last long. After their divorce, she disappeared from the public eye, focusing on raising their daughter, Tifany. So what does her life look like today? Here’s all you need to know about her – and why her latest holiday pictures are sparking reactions.

Marla Maples was born on October 27, 1963, in Cohutta, Georgia. She described her childhood as being “storybook-perfect”. Maples had a great upbringing and received plenty of attention because of her looks.

She was so pretty that in high school, she was elected homecoming queen and excelled in sports. She pursued a marketing degree at the University of Georgia but decided to quit after about 2.5 years.

Instead, New York became her focus, and it would change her life forever. As Marla Maples tried to find work in New York City, Donald Trump’s marriage to Ivana Trump was at a tipping point.

Maples recalled she met Donald Trump for the first time in 1985, and they had an instant connection. However, she also said that the timing wasn’t right. They spent a lot of time talking on the telephone, though they didn’t meet in public. But as the years went by, Marla knew how she wanted her future to look.

“By ’88, I knew I truly loved this guy,” Maples said in a NewYork magazine interview.

How did Marla Maples meet Donald Trump?
Marla ran into Donald several times through the years, and eventually Ivana realized that something was up. Maples claimed she was led to believe there was a plan to end Donald’s marriage. However, at that point, she decided to lie low and not get in the middle of things.

She tried to stay away, but before long, the news outlet Page Six ran her photograph and name. In the New York Magazine story, Maples recalled a very uncomfortable meeting with Ivana in Colorado, after her name and photograph had appeared in newspapers across New York City.

“When we saw each other in Colorado, Ivana and I, it was just a moment of both of us wanting to know the truth,” Maples said.

“It was good that the truth became known, but that was also when the real pain began. I realized that we had both been deceived. You’re left in a very uncomfortable position – and the world knows about it.”

Just a month later, while watching a boxing match on television, Marla Maples came across a flash about Donald and Ivana divorcing.

Relationship with Donald Trump
She didn’t want to be a part of it and decided to “run away as far as possible.” Papers made up stories about where she was, but ultimately, she couldn’t completely leave Donald, and the two began dating.

“I loved this man. Yes, I was young, but it was my choice. I was romanced, I had Mister Charm all over me, and it was very hard to say no. When that man wants something, he’ll stop at nothing to get it. And I also believed in the good of him,” Maples recalled.

Dating Donald Trump wasn’t like being with anyone. It came with certain standards as she had to keep up with his busy, luxurious life. Her hair and makeup always had to be perfect, and she only wore designer dresses. In the end, it felt like she became a caricature of herself.

While their relationship was tricky at first, they moved on to tie the knot. In 1993, Marla Maples and Donald Trump married and welcomed their daughter, Tiffany Trump, the same year. Sadly, things didn’t last. In 1999, Donald and Marla divorced.

Speaking to Access Hollywood, Marla explained that, after all, they weren’t the best match.

Marla Maples prenup
“Well, he and I, were so different, as you could probably imagine,” she said. “I think you always hope in a marriage that you can bring the best out in each other. But after many years, we realized we weren’t.”

Marla Maples had to sign a prenup before the marriage with Donald Trump, and it was a tough one.

According to Vanity Fair, the prenup showed that Trump really wanted to protect the money he had. Sources told the magazine that Maples wanted $25 million, and Trump only agreed to pay her $1 million if they separated within five years.

In addition, she’d receive another $1 million to buy a house. Trump would also stop making $100,000 child support payments for his daughter Tiffany when she turned 21. If she got a full-time job, enlisted in the military, or joined the Peace Corps before then, the payments would cease altogether.

Following the divorce, Maples pretty much disappeared from the spotlight. She moved to Los Angeles with Tiffany and created her own wellness brand. She bought a house in the fancy neighborhood of Calabasas outside of Los Angeles, and after the luxurious time with Donald, she wanted something else.

‘Rural’ life in California
Marla wanted to, to some extent, recreate her ‘rural’ Georgia upbringing, for example, cooking organic meals in the evening. She spent evenings watching television, and simple things, such as having a trampoline in the backyard, became a part of her and Tiffany’s new life.

“We loved going to the movies together. That was our big night out,” Marla Maples told People Magazine in 2016

“We were always together,” Tiffany added. “She gave me the chance to have a normal childhood.”

Still, Maples admitted, “You don’t know how to [be a single mom] until you’re in it and you find a way,” she says she was never bitter about doing it on her own. What I’ve learned to do is to take responsibility for what’s happening in my life and not be a victim.”

She added that she wanted her daughter to have a relationship with her father, despite living across the country.

“I would bring her into New York a couple times a year and let her go see her dad in the office and let her go have diner with him and [Donald’s wife] Melania,” Marla told People. “I just said it’s important for her to form her own relationship with him, without my input. I wanted to create some consistency where she could see him.”

Marla Maples has appeared in several major movies and TV shows, including Dallas, Clueless, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She’s also held several journalistic jobs, including interviewing NBA superstar Michael Jordan for Inside Edition.

Marla Maples today
Moreover, Maples can also sing. She released the album The Endless in 2013, and even went on Dancing with the Stars in 2016. While she hasn’t been a big part of Donald’s two presidential terms, she actually helped bring Robert F Kennedy Jr and Donald Trump together to begin the Make America Healthy Again wellness movement

Marla Maples’ lifestyle is all about being healthy. On Instagram, followers can see her every step as she works out and practices yoga. However, life on the West Coast didn’t last.

Instead, Marla Maples, now 62, is back in New York, where she is developing SoulShine Journeys, a spiritual travel venture designed to help those participating focus on personal growth through reflection, focus, and reset.

Last year, she reached another milestone in her life as she became a first-time grandmother. Her daughter Tiffany and her husband, Michael Boulos, welcomed son Alexander Trump Boulos on May 15, 2025. Marla quickly embraced her grandmother role as she gave herself a new nickname, “Gran Mar Mar.”

As Tiffany revealed the news on social media, Maples was quick to comment, “No greater joy in the world.”

“Michael and Tiffany this Gran Mar Mar loves you all so much!! You rocked it, my girl!” she added.

Marla Maples Italy vacation pictures spark reactions
In early August, Marlal Maples shared her vacation pictures from Italy, and fans were amazed in the comments.

Alongside several pictures of her trip, Maples wrote, in the caption, “Florence… thank you. For the beauty…for the friendships…for the conversations…for the moments of quiet contemplation beneath centuries of faith and artistry. And the food… some flavors are simply beyond words.”

The 62-year-old actress and former Trump wife posed under an umbrella in a simple white bikini, showing off her sun-kissed look as she enjoyed the Italian sunshine.

There was no fancy setting or glamorous backdrop. Instead, the relaxed photo quickly became one of the standout moments from her Florence trip.

In other photos, Maples kept things simple, wearing a cream-colored tank top with matching shorts. She was also seen holding a rosary in one picture before visiting an ancient church dressed in the same elegant, neutral outfit.

The peaceful vacation moments offered a very different glimpse of Maples away from the spotlight. See some of the pictures below