Who is Vanessa Trump? Meet the millionairess model mother-of-five ‘secretly’ dating Tiger Woods
Vanessa Trump has found herself back in the spotlight amid reports that she is secretly dating Tiger Woods.
The former model and mother-of-five, who was once married to Donald Trump Jr., is said to have grown close to the golf legend in recent months, with both of them living in the exclusive enclave of Palm Beach, Florida. While neither has confirmed the nature of their relationship, the rumors have certainly set tongues wagging.
© Getty ImagesVanessa Trump’s upbringing
Vanessa has led a fascinating life, from dating Hollywood stars to becoming an heiress almost overnight. She grew up on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in a world of privilege, attending an elite private school with tuition fees of around $50,000 a year. Even as a teenager, she caught the attention of the tabloids, with reports linking her to actor Leonardo DiCaprio in 1998 when she was just 20 years old. She later had a brief romance with Saudi diplomat Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, which at one point had some speculating that she could become a princess.
© Getty ImagesVanessa Trump’s career
Her own career saw her step into the modeling world, walking runways and gracing magazine pages for nearly a decade. She even had a brush with Hollywood, appearing in the star-studded 2003 romantic comedy Something’s Gotta Give alongside Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. But despite her early success, it wasn’t modeling or acting that secured her financial future.
© Davidoff Studios PhotographyVanessa Trump’s net worth
In 2017, Vanessa’s family came into a staggering windfall when a business investment made by her late father paid off in spectacular fashion. Charles Haydon, a high-profile lawyer, had invested $1 million in Rao’s Homemade, the pasta sauce brand associated with the legendary New York restaurant group. Twenty-five years later, the company was acquired, and Vanessa’s inherited share was reported to be worth around $62 million before taxes, instantly making her one of the wealthiest women in the Trump circle.
Vanessa Trump’s marriage to Donald Jr
Just a year later, she filed for divorce from Donald Jr. after 13 years of marriage. The couple, who had been introduced by Donald Trump Sr. at a fashion show in 2003, tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in 2005. Their engagement had already made headlines, with reports revealing that her $100,000 diamond ring had been obtained for free as part of a promotional deal when Donald Jr. staged a photo op outside a New Jersey mall jewelry store.
© instagramVanessa Trump’s children
The couple went on to have five children together: Kai, Donald John III, Tristan, Spencer, and Chloe. While Vanessa briefly dabbled in running her own handbag line, she ultimately embraced life as a stay-at-home mother, making it clear that her family was her priority. Her social media presence reflects that, with much of her content focused on parenting and the joys and challenges of raising five children.
During the pandemic, Vanessa took on the task of homeschooling her kids, admitting that it wasn’t easy but that she was determined to ensure their education continued uninterrupted. “My children are my life,” she has said, reinforcing that, despite the high-profile world she has lived in, her role as a mother is what matters most to her.
