Donald and Melania Trump reportedly sleep in separate rooms, with the former president determined to win a 'decorating arms race' against his wife, according to a new book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. The book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, covers the first year of his second term and was released on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
Separate Bedrooms and a Battle Over Décor
Melania is said to occupy the master bedroom, while Donald Trump stays in a former living room. Despite this, Trump—known for his late-night social media activity—is reportedly keen to gain the upper hand in the arrangement. The authors allege that Trump was 'determined to have the better room' in what The Times' Will Pavia describes as a 'decorating arms race' with Melania.
Pavia writes: 'To this end, he was said to have removed gold pieces that his wife had selected for the hallway and brought them into his own bedroom to sleep among them, like a magpie nesting with bottletops.'
Previous Reports of Separate Sleeping Arrangements
This is not the first time rumors about the couple's sleeping arrangements have surfaced. In his 2018 book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, Michael Wolff claimed Trump found the White House 'vexing' and retreated to his own bedroom. Wolff wrote: 'Trump, in fact, found the White House to be vexing and even a little scary. He retreated to his own bedroom—the first time since the Kennedy White House that a presidential couple had maintained separate rooms.' Trump dismissed that book on X as 'really boring and untruthful.'
Insights from Biographers and Staff
Biographer Mary Jordan, who spoke to White House staff, told CNN that 'Trump love is really complicated.' She said: 'Love is complicated and, as they say, Trump love is really complicated. They spend a shocking amount of time physically apart. And yet, the first call he often makes after a speech or a rally is to her. It's a mystery.'
Jordan added: 'I don't know any couple that spends as much time apart. They are often in the same building, but nowhere near each other. She rarely goes into the West Wing. She doesn't like to golf. She has her own little spa. She likes to be isolated. She is a loner. He is a loner. They're perfectly happy to be separated.'
Background on the Trump Marriage
Donald Trump and Melania first met in 1998 and married in 2005. They share one son, Barron Trump. Recalling their first encounter in a 2016 interview with Harper's Bazaar, Melania said Trump was 'with a date' at the time. She said: 'He wanted my number, but he was with a date, so of course I didn't give it to him. I said, "I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you." I wanted to see what kind of number he would give me—if it was a business number, "What is this? I'm not doing business with you."' Melania claimed Trump provided her with all his numbers: 'the office, Mar-a-Lago, home in New York, everything.' She added: 'I was struck by his energy. He has an amazing sense of vitality.'
Express.co.uk has approached representatives of Donald Trump for comment.
