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President Trump is arguably one of the toughest men alive, not only because of his relentless ability to punch back amid unprecedented legal persecution and negative media coverage, but also because of his background as a real estate developer in New York City.
The jagged and difficult worlds that Trump has moved through amidst his colorful life have no doubt shaped the type of leader that he is today, and it may be hard for everyday Americans to imagine the 45th president shedding a tear or pausing to grieve.
However, during an interview with Newsmax’s Greg Kelly, Trump shared his thoughts on dealing with grief, especially as he has lost several close family members over the past few years.
“When you lose somebody, it’s very tough,” he said. “I lost my mother-in-law very recently, she was a great woman, she was very smart, beautiful woman, inside and out…it’s a tough thing. I don’t like to show that, I don’t like to see it.”
His mother-in-law, Amalija Knavs, passed away in January. Shortly after, the family held a solemn funeral for Ms. Knavs, whom Trump referred to as a “GREAT WOMAN.”
Greg Kelly noted that Trump’s brother, Robert, passed away in 2020, and his late wife and mother to three of his children, Ivana, passed away in 2022. His sister, former federal judge Maryanne Barry, also died in 2023. The president wrote shortly after her passing, “I Love Maryanne. God Bless You. Rest In Peace!”
Kelly asked if he had ever shown a more emotional side of himself with anyone, and Trump replied, “Well, sure you do…when you lose someone that you really love. My sister, my brother, when you lose your parents. It’s a very tough thing, and I find nothing wrong with it [grieving], but I don’t like to do it in public.”
The president added, “Sometimes, I don’t think you can really help it. And that’s okay, too, I think that’s okay, too. But grieving is grieving, when you lose somebody that’s very close, in many ways, if you don’t grieve, perhaps you’re not such a good person.”
