I'm first lady, OK?'

US First Lady Melania Trump accused her husband's first wife Ivana of making "attention-seeking and self-serving noise" Monday, after the former Mrs Trump jokingly referred to herself as the first lady while trying to sell her memoirs.

In an interview with ABC News to promote her new book -- "Raising Trump" -- the 68-year-old Ivana Trump attempted a little joke when describing her longstanding relationship with Trump.

"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, with a laugh.

Melania Trump, 47 and normally very reserved, was not amused. In a tersely worded statement from her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham,  she said she"is honored 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.

Ivana is the mother of Trump's three eldest children: Donald Jr, Ivanka and Eric.