Who is Vanessa Trump? Biography & Background

I will explore the topic: Who is Vanessa Trump? Vanessa Trump is the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr and is known to have worked as a model and an actress. Ever since her marriage to Donald Trump Jr, Vanessa has developed an image as an entrepreneur.

With her connections to the Woods family, she also happens to be connected to professional golfer Tiger Woods and keeps the public interested with her life updates.

Introduction Vanessa Trump

Vanessa Kay Trump (Pergolizzi, later Haydon; born December 18, 1977) is an American socialite and a former model and actress. Vanessa is primarily recognized as the former spouse of Donald Trump Jr., the first son of ex-United States President Donald Trump.

They were married in 2005 and have 5 children together. In the public eye, they are known as one of the archetypal American families. Their family life came crashing down in 2018, when they publicly announced their separation, and finalizing their divorce soon after.

Vanessa was a model before marrying Donald Jr, and had acting roles, most notably a part in the 2003 film Something’s Gotta Give. Since her public life ended, she has remained mostly out of the public spotlight.

Bio-Data Vanessa Trump

Category	Details
Full name	Vanessa Kay Pergolizzi (later Haydon, then Trump)
Date & place of birth	December 18, 1977 – New York City, USA
Education	Attended The Dwight School (NYC), studied psychology at Marymount Manhattan College
Career beginnings	Modeled in late 1990s; signed with Wilhelmina Models; front-row at fashion shows
Acting & media	Small role in Something’s Gotta Give (2003); appeared on The Apprentice and Bret Michaels’ reality show
Entrepreneurship	Co‑founded NYC nightclub “Sessa” in 2003; owned handbag line “La Poshett” (2010–2013); involved in other fashion and real-estate ventures
Family background	Mother managed Kay Models; stepfather was lawyer Charles Haydon; maternal grandfather was Danish jazz musician Kai Ewans. Inherited stake in Rao’s sauce business for significant wealth
Relationship history	Dated Latin Kings member Valentin Rivera in high school; rumored relationships with Leonardo DiCaprio (1998) and Saudi Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud (1998–2001)
Marriage & children	Married Donald Trump Jr. on November 12, 2005 (proposal staged with jewelry store promotion); married until 2018; five children: Kai Madison (2007), Donald III (2009), Tristan (2011), Spencer (2012), Chloe (2014)
Post-divorce life	Divorce filed in March 2018 and finalized later that year; maintained amicable co‑parenting relationship; focused on home life and occasional business and charitable activities
Current partner	Began dating Tiger Woods around Thanksgiving 2024; relationship confirmed publicly in March 2025; the families share connections in Palm Beach, Florida

Early life

Vanessa Kay Pergolizzi lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in a townhouse, attending Nord Anglia Dwight School which is a renowned private institution.

Her stepfather, Charles Haydon, practiced law and held a distinguished position in the field, while her mother Bonnie Haydon operated a modeling agency named Kay Models.

From her mother, Vanessa has some Scandinavian roots as she is partially Danish and Swedish. Moreover, her grandfather was a famous Danish jazz musician Kai Ewans.

This upbringing granted Vanessa access to New York’s high society while instilling in her a custom-tailored passion for modeling, fashion, and the entertainment industry from a young age.

Career

Vanessa Trump commenced her modeling work in her late teens, joining Wilhelmina Models where she featured in numerous fashion industry advertisements. She had a brief acting career, for example, in the romantic comedy Something’s Gotta Give which was released in 2003.

That same year, she opened a nightclub in New York City called Sessa alongside her sister Veronika. In 2011, Vanessa appeared on Donald Trump’s reality show The Apprentice, serving as his father-in-law at that time.

Other television appearances include Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It. Between 2010 and 2013 she ran a fashion brand, La Poshett, making her mark in the fashion world by launching a series of designer handbags.

Personal life

Vanessa Trump was in a relationship with Valentin Rivera, a member of the Latin Kings, during her teenage years. His were tragic. However, her relationship with Valentin came to an end when news surfaced that she was romantically linked to Leonardo DiCaprio, although his publicist refuted the claim.

She was involved with him from 1998 to 2001 until he left the country, and she parted ways with Saudi prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud. She also shared a marriage bond with Donald Trump Jr on November 12, 2005 which was officiated in Mar-a-Lago.

They were blessed with 5 children, the eldest being Kai Trump born in 2007. Vanessa imposed a divorce in March 2018. However, in late 2024, Vanessa started dating golfer Tiger Woods, revealing in public to the relationship in March of 2025.

Is she currently in a relationship?

According to sources, Vanessa Trump is now dating professional golfer Tiger Woods as of late 2024. Their relationship reportedly started around Thanksgiving and became Woods confirmed it publicly in March 2025 through his Instagram.

It seems that the two met through mutual acquaintances in Palm Beach, Florida, where both have homes and their children go to the same private school.

Although the couple raised eyebrows, their bond appears to be strong and the reports indicate it is serious and family-oriented. Since her divorce from Donald Trump Jr., Vanessa has kept a low profile and has not commented on the relationship publicly.

Conclusion

Vanessa Trump gained prominence as the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. One of New York’s socialites, she was a model and a businesswoman who led an active family life.

An ex-wife and now a mother of five, she gained public attention in 2025 for her newfound relationship with Tiger Woods.

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