Despite his past appearances at the prestigious event, Trump has reportedly been unwelcome at the Met Gala for some time.
He’s graced the Met Gala red carpet before—once even proposing to Melania en route to the event. But this year, as the fashion elite gathered in New York City for the annual Met Gala, one of the world’s most recognizable figures was nowhere to be seen: former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Why Trump Is Banned from the Met Gala
The reason isn’t hard to find. Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor-in-chief and longtime chair of the Met Gala since 1997, made her stance clear in a 2017 interview on The Late Late Show with James Corden:
“He will never be invited again,” she said firmly.
That decision came shortly after Trump’s inauguration in 2017—and, even as he launches his second presidential campaign, the ban remains firmly in place.
Trump’s Met Gala History
Trump’s relationship with the Met Gala stretches back decades. He was a frequent guest during the 1980s and ’90s, often seen alongside his former wives Ivana Trump and Marla Maples. In 2004, he famously proposed to Melania Knauss on the way to the event—a tabloid moment that added to his gala legacy.Trump accessoriesCelebrity gowns
But times have changed, and so has the nature of the Met Gala. While Wintour insists the event is about “beauty, creativity, and reflecting history,” it’s evident that personal values and public perception now influence the guest list.
Not the Only One Missing
Trump wasn’t the only high-profile figure left off this year’s guest list. According to The New York Times, other notable absentees included Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg—all of whom have attended in previous years.
This year’s theme—Superfine: Tailoring Black Style—highlighted the influence of Black designers and the role of fashion in challenging cultural stereotypes. Cultural critic Louis Piscano called the theme a “clear message”—one that suggests the event is evolving beyond glamour into a platform with deeper social and political undertones.
