Melania Trump accused Vogue of 'obvious bias' for not landing the cover as first lady

March 31, 2024

It’s a decades-long Vogue tradition for the first lady to grace the cover, but one woman who failed to make the cut was Melania Trump during her four-year stint.

Selecting the White House Christmas tree theme and being forbidden to open the White House windows are just two traditions and rules the First Lady of the United States must follow. One tradition not in the presidential handbook is becoming a Vogue cover star, but Melania Trump never managed to leave her mark in the fashion bible as the first lady.

Melania Trump slams Vogue for ‘obvious bias’

Melania Trump’s journey to becoming the First Lady couldn’t be more different from her predecessor and successor, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, respectively. Born and raised in Slovenia, Melania worked under the name Melania Knauss as a budding model in New York, where she would eventually meet her husband.

It’s unknown how many covers Trump graced during her modeling days, but the most notable is undoubtedly the nude GQ spread of 2000. You know, when she posed on a (potentially faux) fur blanket on Donald Trump‘s private Boeing 727.

The former Slovenian model failed to score a Vogue feature during her fashion career but was also excluded from the unofficial decades-long first lady tradition. She claims it boiled down to favoritism.

“They’re biased and they have likes and dislikes, and it’s so obvious,” she told Fox News in her first post-White House interview. “I think the American people and everyone see it. It was their decision, and I have much more important things to do – and I did in the White House – than being on the cover of Vogue.”

Melania, however, did appear on the February 2005 cover as “Donald Trump’s new bride” in a white Christian Dior adorned with 1500 crystal rhinestones and pearls.

Jill Biden was Vogue’s cover star in August 2021, seven months into her role; Vice President Kamala Harris was photographed for the February 2021 issue; and Michelle Obama made history with three features within seven years.

Vogue chief addresses Melania’s missing cover

In a 2019 interview with The Economist, when Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour was quizzed why Melania Trump had not been offered a cover.

She replied: “I think it’s important for Vogue to support women who are leading change in this country.”

The same year, the fashion icon said the magazine is “fair” when choosing who to spotlight.

“One has to look at all sides, but I don’t think it’s a moment not to take a stand,” she explained, per the Washington Post. “You have to stand up for what you believe in. You have to take a point of view. Our readers and audiences respect us. … I don’t think you can try to please everybody all the time.”