E-Paper
First Lady Melania Trump could finally be a Vogue cover girl after Anna Wintour's infamous ‘snub’: Report
The bestselling author of Anna Wintour's investigative biography claims that the new corporate America agenda may open fashion doors for Melania Trump.
Penning an exclusive for DailyMail.com, bestselling biographer Jerry Oppenheimer, who is the author of “Anna Wintour: The Cool Life and Hot Times of Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief,” claimed that things may be turning around for First Lady Melania Trump. With tech titans having already swerved to a pro-Donald Trump stance, the fashion world is reportedly also considering pledging its allegiance to his wife.
During her husband’s first US presidency term, the former model incurred several “snubs.” Major fashion giants wanting to distance themselves from the president’s “toxic” brand of politics stood far from Melania, “shunning” her out by their decision not to dress her for the 2017 Inauguration Day.
Ahead of the 2025 inaugural ceremony, the tabloid made huge claims that the same officials were possibly switching gears as the first lady was contradictingly swamped with fashion offers all around for the big day.
Anna Wintour's pro-Dems Vogue choices
Adding to that conversation, Oppenheimer contended that many industry insiders were apprehensive about long-standing Vogue editor Anna Wintour again keeping a distance from Melania, especially at a time when corporate America was abandoning its Democrat-leaning choices. Many believed that the anti-Trump fashion world royalty would again prevent the first lady from making it on the Vogue cover, as she did years ago.
Both her preceding Democratic counterparts, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, have graced the fashion bible’s cover in the past. However, Wintour cut off the Trump administration, famously snubbing Melania during her husband’s first term as the POTUS.
How Anna Wintour responded to “snubbing” Melania Trump
Even though the long-reigning editor hasn’t directly addressed the circumstances, she indirectly laid out the prestigious magazine’s political stance in 2019. “Obviously these are women that we feel are icons and inspiring to women from a global perspective,” she said of Michelle Obama, Jacinda Ardern and Hillary Clinton, per CNN. “I also feel even more strongly now that this is a time to try and—I think that one has to be fair, one has to look at all sides—but I don't think it's a moment not to take a stand. I think you can't be everything to everybody.”
In her response, Melania Trump's rep took a swing at the Vogue editor-in-chief
Subsequently, Melania’s then-spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham, issued an incendiary response, insinuating that making the Vogue cover wasn’t something she obsessed over.
“To be on the cover of Vogue doesn't define Mrs Trump, she's been there, done that long before she was first lady,” Grisham said. “Her role as first lady of the United States and all that she does is much more important than some superficial photoshoot and cover.” The biting statement even name-dropped the Vogue editor: “This just further demonstrates how biased the fashion magazine industry is, and shows how insecure and small-minded Anna Wintour really is.”
Megyn Kelly blasts Anna Wintour
Journalist and political commentator Megyn Kelly, famous for leading and inciting provocative conversations, also lashed out at Wintour for icing out Melania. “This just further demonstrates how biased the fashion magazine industry is, and shows how insecure and small-minded Anna Wintour really is,” she gushed in an X post earlier this month. “Will Vogue put her on the cover as they did Jill Biden and [Michelle] Obama? Of course not, because Anna Wintour hates Republicans so much she cannot stomach the thought of celebrating this perfect picture of class.”
Corporate roots rain down on Anna Wintour's parade
A well-connected Vogue source also said, “If past is prelude, Anna's going to put her Manolo Blahnik foot down and likely blacklist Melania like she did during the first Trump presidency.”
However, Wintour’s career doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Oppenheimer contends in his write-up that Vogue’s corporate parent, Conde Nast, is fiercely pushing back against her “Trump Derangement Syndrome” on the topic of the Republican first lady gracing the cover. Therefore, there’s a better chance of Melania appearing on the fashion mag’s cover during the newly initiated second term because executives don’t want to risk getting on the commander-in-chief’s bad side this time.
“It's clear that they would want Anna to play nice with Melania, treat her with the respect that as first lady she rightfully deserves,” the source added.
Back when Melania publicly broke her silence
However, there’s an equally weighty chance of Melania telling “Anna to take her cover and stuff it.” She’s already pulled a similar stunt in the past. Following Joe Biden’s win in 2020, she eviscerated Vogue for its “biased” approach, resulting in a snub for her. “They are biased, and they have likes and dislikes, and it's so obvious,” Melania argued in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Pete Hegseth at the time. “And I think American people and everyone see it - and I have much more important things to do…than being on the cover of Vogue.”
Although Melania has yet to be featured on the Vogue cover in her first lady era, she made the front page in her wedding dress after her 2005 marriage to Donald Trump.
Giving their two cents on Wintour’s so-called ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome,’ a close source noted, “If Melania, a seasoned model with elegance and class was married to a Democrat, she'd probably be featured on Vogues' cover more than once, and be Anna's BFF.”
