'I'm not in White House to sell books': Melania hits back at Ivana Trump

Washington: Donald Trump's current wife Melania slammed the US President's first wife, Ivana who called herself "first lady" as "attention-seeking and self-serving noise", the media reported.

On Monday, Ivana Trump in an ABC interview ahead of the release of her memoir, "Raising Trump", said she was "basically first Trump wife, I'm first lady".

The Czech-American businesswoman also boasted of having a direct line to the White House which she uses to she talk to the President about once every 14 days.

"I have the direct number to White House but I don't really want to call him there because Melania is there and I don't really want to cause any kind of jealousy or something like that because I'm basically first Trump wife, OK? I'm first lady, OK?" she told ABC, laughing.

The current First Lady fired back via a sharply-worded statement to CNN from her communications director, Stephanie Grisham later on Monday.

"Mrs. (Melania) Trump has made the White House a home for Barron and the President. She loves living in Washington D.C., and is honoured by her role as First Lady of the United States. She plans to use her title and role to help children, not sell books," Grisham said in the statement 

"There is clearly no substance to this statement from an ex, this is unfortunately only attention-seeking and self-serving noise."

Ivana and Donald Trump divorced in 1992 after 15 years following his tabloid affair with TV personality Marla Maples, reports CNN.

Ivana Trump, who is the mother of the President's three eldest children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric, does not refer to Maples, by name in her book, which comes out Tuesday, only calling her "showgirl".

"Donald during the divorce was brutal. He took the divorce as a business deal and he cannot lose, he has to win," Ivana Trump said during the ABC interview, adding that they were now "friends".