Melania Trump's Roots

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take the oath of office, his wife Melania Trump's Slovenian heritage has garnered significant attention, particularly in her hometown of Sevnica, which has become a tourist destination since her husband's 2016 election win.

The town of Sevnica, with a population of 17,611, was once under communist rule as part of Yugoslavia but is now an independent country. It boasts a statue and salami dedicated to the First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS), with the latter named after her. Melania Trump, the Slovenian-born first lady, grew up in Sevnica before moving to Ljubljana while she was in high school. Her childhood town has become a popular destination for visitors to see her old home and school. This development has put Sevnica on the map, attracting tourists and enthusiasts eager to learn more about the life and background of the second US first lady born outside the US, after Louisa Catherine Adams, who was born in London to John Quincy Adams.

Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration plans have been altered due to forecasts of intense cold weather. The event will now take place inside the Capitol Rotunda, with the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies honoring the request of the President-elect and his Presidential Inaugural Committee. However, the vast majority of ticketed guests will no longer be able to attend in person, and alternative plans are being devised to accommodate as many guests as possible. Trump has announced that some supporters will be able to watch the ceremony from Washington's Capital One Arena, and he will visit the arena after his swearing-in to host a modified inaugural parade.

The shift in inauguration plans and the unique guest list, which includes several far-right leaders, have raised eyebrows among observers. Heading the list are US allies and right-wing leaders such as Argentine President Javier Milei, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The attendance of these leaders and the absence of several European leaders, including European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen and German President Olaf Scholz, have sparked speculation about Trump's ideological leanings.