'You are American': Melania tells new U.S. citizens from 25 countries how hard it was to become an American when she moved from Slovenia in 1996 and urges them to 'stand their ground' in moving natura

Melania Trump made a rare and dramatic public appearance to welcome new U.S. citizens as she told them of her own deeply personal journey to becoming an American. Melania Trump spoke to new citizens at the National Archives on Friday: 'My personal experience of traversing the challenges of immigration process opened my eyes to the harsh reality that people face, including you who try to become U.S. Melania Trump stands alongside Judge Elizabeth Gunn and Archivist of the US Colleen Shogan as they pose for photographs with a newly-sworn in citizens The former first lady described her journey from her childhood in Slovenia to a new life in the United States, along with the sense of pride she felt at becoming an American. It was a rare public appearance by the former first lady Former US First Lady Melania Trump speaks during a Naturalization Ceremony at the National Archives building in Washington DC Melania Trump as a child in Slovenia Melania Trump talks with Colleen Shogan when she was first lady in 2020 Melania Trump was invited to speak by US Archivist Colleen Shogan, who had met Trump when Shogan worked at the White House Historical Association during Melania Trump's tenure as first lady. Melania Trump was born in Slovenia in 1970 and came to the U.S. in 1996 Melania Trump made a rare appearance last month at the funeral for Rossalyn Carter, joining former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and Hillary Clinton As first lady, Melania Trump visited migrant detention center on the southern border in 2018 where she wore her now-infamous 'I really don't care, do u?'