Melania and me: the rise and fall of my friendship with the First Lady. Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. 2020.

The former director of special events at Vogue and producer of nine legendary Met Galas, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff met Melanie Knauss in 2003 and had a front-row seat to the transformation of Donald Trump’s then girlfriend from a rough-cut gem to a precious diamond. As their friendship deepened over lunches at Manhattan hot spots, black tie parties nd giggle sessions in the penthouse at Trump Tower, Wolkoff watched the newest Mrs Trump raise her son Barron, and manage her highly scrutinised marriage.

After Trump won the 2016 election, Wolkoff was recruited to help produce the 58th Presidential Inauguration and to become the First Lady’s senior advisor. Melanie put Wolkoff in charge of hiring her staff, organising her events, helping her write speeches and creating her debut initiatives. Then it all fell apart when she was made the scapegoat for inauguration finance irregularities. Melania could have defended her innocent friend and confidant, but she stood by her man. The betrayal nearly destroyed Wolkoff.