Czech-born Ivana Trump, 71, tucks into lunch alongside her dog in NYC - hours after she was branded a 'bigot' for saying US immigrants 'must come legally' because some 'don't dress American' and 'rape the women'

Ivana Trump was spotted al fresco dining in New York City on Monday, tucking into a plate of spaghetti for lunch after she was branded a 'bigot' for an earlier appearance on UK television.

The 71-year-old former wife of President Donald Trump donned all-black and stopped by a local Italian restaurant with her teacup Yorkshire terrier which is also a certified comfort dog.

However Ivana appeared to be falling asleep.

Apart from looking up to speak to a server as she ordered the meal, Ivana kept her head and eyes down for the majority of the experience while her therapy pet named Tiger kept watch.

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Ivana Trump was spotted al fresco dining in New York City on Monday, tucking into a plate of spaghetti at an Italian restaurant

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She ordered food for one and was accompanied by her pet teacup Yorkshire terrier pet dog named Tiger

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She was also pictured walking walking the pooch, which is a credentialed comfort dog that can accompany her anywhere

Ivana Trump enjoys bowl of spaghetti while outdoor dining in NYC

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She covered up with a fabric face mask before and after eating and headed off with Tiger on a leash.

In 2014 she told Page Six that Tiger is a 'comfort service dog' that keeps her calm and is more famous than Brigitte Bardot in St. Tropez.

They stepped out as the fallout from her appearance on daytime talk show Loose Women played out on social media.

During the show, which began airing 7.30am EST, Ivana said immigrants must enter the US legally and was adamant that they pay taxes as she said the rest of Americans do.

Czech-born Ivana - who is a businesswoman - also generalized to the hosts that undocumented immigrants may rape women or not dress 'Americanly'.

Ivana - who is herself a legal immigrant to the US - said she is 'very proud' of her former partner.

'I see he can do a great job, he is pro everything which I believe in. He is Republican and so am I. He has achieved so much - especially with immigration,' she said in the interview.

'I am an immigrant, and I have no problem with the immigrants, but they must come into the country legally and get a job and pay taxes like the rest of the Americans and just live and be part of society.

'There are some people who don't even dress Americanly, they dress whatever they dress in and they don't get a job and they steal and they rape the women and that is not the idea.'

Her comments left viewers outraged, with one calling the outburst 'disturbing', while another called the mother-of-three an 'embarrassing bigot'.

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She paired a her black and gold ensemble with Christian Dior's black Cannage Quilted Patent Leather Micro Lady bag

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Ivana appeared to be sleepy even as she ordered her pasta meal in Manhattan on Monday afternoon

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Ivana wore her signature beehive hair style and her eyelids were heavy as she served herself spaghetti with a knife and fork

The hearty meal came at the height of criticism across social media for her earlier appearance on national British television

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Ivana must have had a very early wake-up call as she was seen snoozing in between bites of the Italian dish

Ivana grew up in Czechoslovakia and moved to Canada in September 1973. She met Trump at a modeling event in New York City in 1976, and they married in April 1977.

The couple's first son, Donald Trump Jr, was born later that year in December. They welcomed their daughter Ivanka in 1981 and then their son Eric in 1984.

All three of the children were born in New York, making them US citizens; Ivana was legally living in the country at the time, but she didn't become a US citizen until 1988, although she was eligible for naturalization and citizenship three years after tying the knot with Trump.

They divorced in 1990.

When asked whether she felt her view on immigration could be perceived as inhumane, she went on: 'It is inhumane, but everybody has to pick themselves up.

'They have to properly, apply for the visa so they can come to America and cross the border properly and get a job, have a house, start a family.'

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Exhausted: The 71-year-old mother to Eric, 36, Ivanka, 38, and Donald Jr., 42, is seen cradling her head as she dines

Nodding off: Left, Ivana Trump is seen sleep struggling to keep her eyes open and, right, a waiter comes to check on her

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Ivana seemed even more tired after she polished off her lunch while New York City maximizes the outdoor dining opportunity

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The businesswoman wore a fabric face mask before and after her meal to stay safe amid the coronavirus pandemic

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She stepped out to dine at a restaurant in the busy city despite earlier provoking an adverse reaction with her British fans

Host Jane Moore interjected: 'But those opportunities are very few and far between nowadays aren't they?'

'They are, but the people who will prevail, the people who want to work will prevail, the people who want to get food stamps and sleep on the benches, this is what we don't want,' Ivana insisted.

During the interview, Ivana was asked how often she is able to speak with the president, with whom she has three children Eric, 36, Ivanka, 38, and Donald Jr., 42.

She replied: 'I can speak to him any time.'

However, she admitted that she never speaks to his current wife Melania, 50, who she referred to as his 'ex wife', because she doesn't like to be 'involved with his private life'.

'I speak directly to Mr President,' said Ivana, 'I don't get involved with his private life, we speak about our children but I don't give him advice. I tell him what I think is right and wrong but we don't speak about ex wives.'

When asked whether she felt Melania is a good First Lady, she said: 'I am not sure, she's very quiet and she doesn't go to too many places. She goes when she has to go but she's quiet.'

Ivana was also asked if her daughter Ivanka could follow in her father's footsteps and become president one day, and she insisted it is certainly a possibility as far as she is concerned.

'Definitely,' she said, adding: 'I think she's in the White House every day, she's next to her father every day, she knows all that is going around... I think she could be one day the first woman president, definitely. She's smart as hell, she's beautiful.'

Donald Trump's ex-wife Ivana goes on anti-immigrant rant