Ivanka Trump celebrates grandmother Marie Zelnickova’s 100th birthday with family in Miami
MIAMI, FLORIDA: Ivanka Trump celebrated a major family milestone as her grandmother Marie Zelnickova turned 100, bringing several generations of the Trump family together in Miami. The first daughter shared photos from the birthday celebration on Instagram, calling it “100 years of life, love, family, and memories.”
The celebration also drew warm reactions from familiar names, including former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, and rocker Sammy Hagar.
Ivanka Trump celebrates her Babi’s 100th birthday with family
Zelnickova, affectionately known as “Babi,” is the mother of Ivana Trump, Donald Trump’s late ex-wife. Born in Czechoslovakia, she played a major role in Ivanka’s childhood and remained a close part of her life for decades.
"Babi, your century of love has shaped generations and lives in every one of us. Celebrating you was an honor, a joy and a reminder of the extraordinary legacy you have created. Happy 100th birthday. We love you beyond words," Ivanka wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.
She has spoken openly about how much her grandmother meant to her and her siblings. During an appearance on ‘The Diary Of A CEO’ podcast last April, she recalled how her grandmother helped raise them.
“My grandmother, and grandfather before he passed, on my mother's side really raised us,” Ivanka said. She remembered how her grandmother cooked nearly every meal during her childhood and taught her “a type of unconditional love and tenderness.”
Ivanka also described Babi as deeply nurturing, recalling how she would take care of even the smallest details after Ivanka came home from school.
“I'd come home from school, and before I'd be out of the shower, she would have laundered my clothes and folded them and put them back on my bed,” Ivanka said. “She was always feeding me, and food for her was like an expression of love.”
Marie Zelnickova became part of Ivanka Trump’s children’s lives
The relationship between Ivanka and her grandmother continued into the next generation of the family.
In 2021, Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, moved their family from Washington, DC, to Miami, Florida. Around that time, Babi came to live with the couple and their three children, Arabella, Joseph, and Theodore.
For Ivanka, having her grandmother around her children gave the family a chance to share something she had experienced herself growing up.
“I feel so strongly for me and my children to have the experience to be there for her, in just like a small fraction of the way she was there for me, is such an extraordinary privilege,” Ivanka said.
She also spoke about her children growing up with Babi at their table and hearing her stories, including stories about Ivanka’s mother, Ivana.
The emotional memories brought Ivanka to tears as she spoke about the woman who had been such a constant presence in her life.
“I have a lot of love for this woman,” she said.
Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump join Ivanka Trump to celebrate grandmother's birthday
Ivanka was not the only member of the Trump family celebrating Zelnickova’s milestone. Donald Trump Jr, his wife Bettina Trump, and his children were also present. Eric Trump also attended with his wife Lara Trump and their children.
In her Instagram post, Ivanka also remembered her late mother, Ivana, during the celebration. Ivana died in 2022 at the age of 73, but Ivanka said her presence was still felt throughout the day.
“My mother, her beloved daughter, was deeply missed, but her love and presence were felt throughout the day in the stories we shared and in the family she loved so fiercely,” Ivanka wrote.
The birthday post also caught the attention of several celebrities and public figures. Leavitt commented, “So beautiful!” Bundchen wrote, “What a blessing. Viva Babi!” while Hagar responded with a series of applauding-hand emojis.
