Donald Trump and the Met Gala: A Longstanding Ban
It’s been reported that the decision to bar Donald Trump from attending the Met Gala was made not long after he began his first term as president—and that decision remains firmly in place even as he embarks on his second.
Trump’s connection to the Met Gala stretches back decades. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he was a familiar face on the red carpet, often appearing alongside his then-wives, Ivana Trump and later Marla Maples. His relationship with the high-profile event may be history now, but it was once a glamorous staple of his social calendar.
A Proposal, a Ban, and a Shift in Style
Back in 2004, Donald Trump famously proposed to Melania Trump on his way to the Met Gala—an attention-grabbing move that lit up the American tabloids. But much has changed since then—not just in Trump’s relationship with the event, but in the gala’s own evolving identity.
While Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has maintained that the Met Gala is about “beauty, creativity, and reflecting history,” the event has increasingly become a subtle barometer for cultural and political values. Despite claims of neutrality, guest selections suggest that some principles weigh more heavily than others.
And Trump isn’t the only high-profile figure to find himself excluded. According to The New York Times, several of his prominent allies were also absent from this year’s invitation list, including tech titans Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg—all previous attendees.
This year’s theme carried unmistakable political resonance: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, spotlighting Black designers and the powerful role fashion has played in confronting stereotypes and redefining identity. As cultural critic Louis Piscano put it, the theme “sends a clear message.”
