Donald Trump & Marla Maples: The Prenup That Trapped 'The Other Woman'

What Happened

Marla Maples entered public consciousness as the woman who broke up Donald and Ivana Trump’s marriage. After years as Donald’s girlfriend — and the birth of their daughter Tiffany in 1993 — the couple married in December 1993 at the Plaza Hotel in a lavish ceremony attended by 1,000 guests.

But the marriage was troubled from the start. Donald reportedly told friends he regretted the marriage almost immediately. He insisted Marla sign a prenuptial agreement that was far more restrictive than Ivana’s: if the marriage lasted fewer than five years, Marla would receive only $1 million plus a $100,000 annual payment for the first few years. Even if it lasted longer, her payout was capped at approximately $5 million.

In May 1997 — just two months before the five-year mark that would have unlocked more favorable terms — the couple separated. The timing was widely noted. Marla attempted to negotiate beyond the prenup’s terms, reportedly seeking $25 million. She ultimately received between $1 and $2 million, the amount specified in the prenup for a sub-five-year marriage.

The case became a cautionary tale about the power dynamics of prenuptial agreements. Marla had gone from being the glamorous other woman to a single mother with a modest settlement. She later moved to California, largely out of the public eye, while Donald married Melania Knauss in 2005. Legal experts frequently cite this case as an example of how prenups can be structured with time-based triggers that create enormous incentives around the timing of separation.

Legal Breakdown: Prenuptial Agreements

What This Means for Your Divorce