When President Donald Trump descended into the bowels of history on June 16, 2015, his family was waiting at the bottom of the escalator. His five children from three different mothers gathered to support him, and more importantly, pose with him. The result was this photo:
And yes, Tiffany was standing on the other side of Ivanka, which was poor planning on the younger half-sister’s part since it made it easy for outlets like The Los Angeles Times and Politico to crop her out.
Today, the family is richer and older (although their skin and jawlines appear tighter). Some members are also wiser—including Melania, Ivanka, and Vanessa Trump, who have all distanced themselves from the patriarch.
In his speech that day, Trump recalled a reporter accusing him of not being a nice person. Trump admitted that was true, then quickly backpedaled. “People that know me, like me,” he riffed. “Does my family like me? I think so, right?”
Ten years later, the answer to that question is a little clearer. And this archival snapshot provides a fascinating backdrop, offering a glance at how it all started and how it’s going.
Barron Trump
Trump sweetly put his left hand on his youngest son’s shoulder as he positioned Barron in front of him in 2015. If he tried to do that today, Trump père would be completely blocked. Now 19 years old, Barron is reportedly 6 feet 7 inches and attends New York University’s Stern School of Business, named after Laurence Stern, who famously feuded with his dad back in the ’80s. (Trump claimed Stern’s wife, Allison, asked him out on a date. Stern tagged that “an absolute lie.” Some things never change.)
Kai Madison Trump
Kai appeared shy back in 2015, gripping her mother’s hands. She’s not shy anymore. In the summer of 2024, Kai addressed the Republican National Convention. In her speech, she insisted that Grandpa Donald was “normal” and told a cute story about him calling during school hours to tell her about his golf game. She is off to the University of Miami starting in the fall.
Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump
RIP Donessa.
After five kids and twelve years of marriage, Vanessa filed for divorce from Don Jr. in 2018. As of March 2025, she is Instagram-official with Tiger Woods, a golf legend who in 2009 reportedly checked into a clinic to address his sex compulsion.
Meanwhile, Don Jr. immediately jumped into a relationship with MAGA-superfan Kimberly Guilfoyle, the ex-wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom. They got engaged on New Year’s Day in 2022, but in late 2024, Don Jr. broke it off and started dating model and Palm Beach upper-cruster Bettina Anderson.
Ivanka Trump
Ivanka has ditched the white dress, a nod to early American suffragists and a feminist favorite. Today, her dresses are short and skin-tight and often feature revealing cut-outs. Over the past decade, she has shifted from her businesswoman persona—she published a book in 2017 titled Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success—and walked away from politics in 2022, stating she was “choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family.”
It seems, then, that when her husband, Jared Kushner, secured a $2 billion investment from the Saudis, Ivanka rewrote the rules for success.
Today, Ivanka posts photos on Instagram of herself and her family. She also posts about surfing and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In a May 9 post, she wrote about being a co-founder of Planet Harvest. Oddly, though, her name isn’t listed on the About Us page of the company’s website?
Eric and Lara Trump
When Ivanka’s absence created a blond void in the Trump campaign, Lara happily filled in. She excelled as co-chair of the Republican National Committee, but her bid to take over now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s seat in the Senate flopped. She settled for becoming a FOX News host—which means she’s just a step away from a cabinet position.
Over the last decade, her look has grown severe. Husband Eric is looking tougher, too, but is sticking with the baby boy tie.
President Donald Trump
Trump is a brand, and like Clorox or Twining’s Tea, he can’t change his packaging. Ten years on, his hair is grayer (depending on the day), but the navy suit, white shirt, red tie, and flag pin remain.
Melania Trump
When her husband gestured for her to step on the escalator first, Melania obliged. She took the lead: the silent figurehead of the USS Trump.
Today, Melania is captaining her own ship. Her memoir was a New York Times #1 bestseller, and Amazon ponied up $40 million to make a documentary about her life. The First Lady is a producer on that project.
Today’s Melania seems to do what she wants. She’s seen infrequently at the White House, although she did accompany the president to the Kennedy Center for a performance of Les Misérables this past week, and to the funeral of Pope Francis back in April.
In the photo above, taken that day, she appears to be praying. What for? Who knows.
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