President Trump Welcomes Czech Mother-in-Law to Oval Office

Ms. Zelníčková is the eighth Czech to have been invited to the Oval Office

Katrina Modrá

Written by Katrina Modrá Published on 22.10.2018 08:00:38 (updated on 22.10.2018) Reading time: 1 minute

While rapper Kanye West’s bizarre appearance at the White House grabbed headlines last week, another recent Oval Office visit went practically unnoticed: that of President Donald Trump’s former mother-in-law, Marie Zelníčková.

The President welcomed Zelníčková, 92, to the Oval Office several weeks ago, according to the Czech tabloid Blesk which originally reported the story.

The Zlín-native and mother of Trump’s first wife Ivana, and grandmother to their children Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Jr., told the publication that the invitation was personally issued by the president during her most recent stay in the nation’s capital.

“My granddaughter Ivanka…came after me and said ‘We are going to the White House today,’” Zelníčková told Blesk.

Zelníčková shared an affectionate photo op with her son-in-law (whom she calls “Donik”) and was presented with a ride on Air Force One from Washington to New York.

Ms. Zelníčkova has been a loyal supporter of Trump’s politics, expressing outrage over criticisms of his policies and slamming Hillary Clinton as “so evil” to the Czech media last year.

She is the eighth Czech to have been invited to the Oval Office, among them seven Czech statesmen, including Václav Havel and former prime minister, Petr Nečas, who visited in 2011 at the invitation of former President Barack Obama.

Current Czech President Miloš Zeman, an outspoken Trump supporter, is still waiting for his invitation.

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