Ivana Trump was preparing for a vacation to St. Tropez when she died, friend says

Ivana Trump in Cannes, France, in 2006.

Reuters/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo

• Ivana Trump, the ex-wife of former President Donald Trump, died on Thursday aged 73.
• Her friend, Nikki Haskell, told Page Six that Ivana Trump was meant to fly to St. Tropez the next day.
• Ivana was excited about her vacation because she was isolated during the pandemic, Haskell said.

Ivana Trump, the ex-wife of former President Donald Trump, was preparing for a trip to St. Tropez when she died, her friend Nikki Haskell told Page Six. 

"She was leaving for St. Tropez tomorrow. This was going to be her first trip away since the pandemic. She was afraid of getting the virus," Haskell, a former TV host and New York socialite, told Page Six on Thursday.

Haskell said Ivana Trump was looking forward to going on vacation because she had "totally locked down" during the pandemic and "wouldn't go anywhere" because she was afraid of catching COVID-19. Haskell also said the two of them were planning a trip around the world next year.

"She was my best friend ... I can't even tell you how fabulous she was, just a great friend, and the most amazing, inspirational person," Haskell added. 

Ivana Trump, who was 73, was found in her Upper East Side apartment at around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, ABC reported. 

The official cause of death is not yet known, but The New York Times and ABC News reported that the police are investigating whether she fell down the stairs.

There were no signs of forced entry into her home, one of the officials told The Times. 

Ivana and Donald Trump married in 1977 and had three children together: Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump. They separated in 1992, but maintained an amicable relationship afterwards, including during his presidency.

In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, the former president described his ex-wife as a "wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life."

Haskell befriended Donald and Ivana Trump in the 1970s, telling The Times in 2017 that she first met the former president at a members-only nightclub in Manhattan. 

She also said she was a registered Democrat and would have voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election "if it wasn't for the fact that Donald's running." 

Haskell attended Donald Trump's inauguration dinner and other White House events, The Times reported.

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