Ivana Trump writing memoir about her children with Donald

NEW YORK (AP) — Ivana Trump, the first wife of President Donald Trump, is writing a memoir that will focus on the couple’s three children.

“Raising Trump” will be published Sept. 12, Gallery Books told The Associated Press on Wednesday. According to Gallery, Ivana Trump is writing a story of “motherhood, strength and resilience” and also will reflect on her “childhood in communist Czechoslovakia, her escape from the regime and relocation to New York, her whirlwind romance, and her great success as a businesswoman.”

“As her former husband takes his place as the 45th president of the United States, his children have also been thrust into the media spotlight — but it is Ivana who raised them and proudly instilled in them what she believes to be the most important life lessons: loyalty, honesty, integrity and drive,” the statement reads.

Donald and Ivana Trump divorced in 1992 amid revelations that Donald Trump had been having an affair with Marla Maples, who became his second wife. (They divorced in 1999 and six years later Donald Trump married Melania Knauss.) Gallery is calling the book “non-political,” and it’s also unlikely to be critical of the president, whose candidacy Ivana Trump supported. Her divorce from him included a nondisclosure agreement, and her children with him — Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric — are close to their father and are contributing memories to the book.

The three younger Trumps said in a statement that they were “excited” about “Raising Trump” and called Ivana an “amazing mom, teacher and inspiration to all of us.” Ivana Trump said in a statement that “Raising Trump” was in part a response to compliments she receives about her children.

“I was a tough and loving mother who taught them the value of a dollar, not to lie, cheat or steal, respect for others, and other life lessons that I’ll share now in ‘Raising Trump,’ along with unfiltered personal stories about Don, Eric, and Ivanka from their early childhood to becoming the ‘first sons and daughter,’” she said.

Ivana Trump has written books before, including “The Best Is Yet to Come: Coping with Divorce and Enjoying Life Again” and the novel “For Love Alone,” which led to a legal battle with her ex-husband. In 1992, Donald Trump sued Ivana for $25 million, claiming the novel was based on their marriage and violated the nondisclosure portion of the divorce decree. Ivana Trump countersued over other parts of the divorce agreement and, in 1993, the two settled their differences.

Gallery is an imprint of Simon & Schuster, which published Donald Trump’s campaign book “Crippled America,” released in paperback as “Great Again.”

HILLEL ITALIE, National Writer