Donald Trump has long been a recognizable figure on the Met Gala scene. He attended frequently in the 1980s and 1990s, often accompanied by his then-wives Ivana Trump and Marla Maples. In 2004, he even proposed to Melania Trump en route to the glamorous event. But those days are firmly in the past.
This year, Trump was once again not among the A-listers walking the famed steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In fact, he hasn’t been welcome at the Met Gala for quite some time.
The annual event, held on the first Monday in May, brings together the elite of fashion, film, and culture. Despite his high profile, Trump’s name has been off the guest list for years. That’s largely due to a firm stance taken by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who has overseen the gala since 1997. Back in 2017, during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Wintour was clear: “He will never be invited again.”
Her decision reportedly came during Trump's first term as president and has remained in place since the beginning of his second.
 |
| American real estate magnate Donald Trump with his first wife, Ivana (nee Zelnickova) at the Costume Institute Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, 9th December 1985. (Photo by Tom Gates/Archive Photos/Getty Images) |
While the gala continues to evolve, with Wintour stating its purpose is to celebrate "beauty, creativity, and reflecting history" rather than politics, guest selections tell their own story. This year’s theme—"Superfine: Tailoring Black Style"—highlighted the role of Black designers and the ways fashion has been used to challenge racial stereotypes. According to cultural critic Louis Piscano, the theme “sends a clear message.”
And that message may extend beyond Trump. According to The New York Times, several of his high-profile allies were also absent from the 2025 event, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg—figures who have often been mainstays on the guest list in previous years.
Though he was once a fixture of Met Gala glamour, Trump now finds himself permanently excluded from one of fashion’s most high-profile nights.
Post a Comment