Barack Obama first came into office as POTUS in 2009 before leaving the White House in 2017. During his term as president, First Lady Michelle Obama didn’t just grace the cover of Vogue once; she was on it a total of three times! This isn’t the first time a president’s wife has appeared as a Vogue cover girl. The trend began in 1929 when Herbert Hoover’s wife, Lou Henry Hoover, made an appearance in the May issue.
She was the first to pave the way, but thirteen other first ladies followed the same trend, including Hillary Clinton, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Lady Bird Johnson, who appeared in multiple issues. US most recent first lady, Jill Biden, appeared on the August 2024 cover of Vogue after being included in the magazine’s July 2019, August 2021, and Winter 2023 issues.
Being on the coveted cover of Vogue is no small feat. That’s a bucket list item that most of us probably won’t check off in a lifetime. However, while Vogue featured many wives of presidents from different parties, one first lady did not receive the same honor.
Melania Trump was never invited to pose for the iconic fashion magazine while her husband, Donald Trump, occupied the White House. Not only does she stand out from the women before her by not having this invitation extended, but it’s been more meaningful since she was featured on the cover of Vogue for many years before Trump was inaugurated.
Trump ruined Melania’s reputation and chances of landing a Vogue cover
In 2005, Melania was splashed across the cover of Vogue’s February issue in her couture wedding gown designed by Christian Dior. The headline was: ”Donald Trump’s New Bride.” This marked a new era for Melania, whose lavish wedding was featured in a 14-page spread.
However, when Donald was voted into office and received scrutiny from many, Melania was shunned from the pages of Vogue for the foreseeable future.
In 2019, Anna Wintour, who is the editor-in-chief of Vogue, threw some indirect shade when she spoke to CNN about what women should appear in Vogue: “Obviously these are women that we feel are icons and inspiring to women from a global perspective. 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.”
It became even less surprising that Melania was left out when you consider the fact that Wintour endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 elections. Furthermore, Wintour banned Donald Trump from the Met Gala forever, though she didn’t give a specific reason when she made the decision. He last showed up at the event in 2012, so she’s kept her word since then!
Melania refused Vogue without cover girl status
When Donald Trump was a guest on “The Megyn Kelly Show” in September 2023, he was asked about the fact that his wife wasn’t on the cover of Vogue during his presidential term. He called it “sad” but said that Melania “didn’t care” and had been on the cover of magazines for many years. He even added that she once had a friendly relationship with Anna Wintour. The ex-POTUS added, “But once I ran for politics, that was the end of that.”
But a secret 2018 recording leaked of Melania tells a different story. In the audio, she’s heard speaking to her ex-aid and former friend Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, saying that Vogue initially made her an offer, but she turned it down.
Wolkoff expanded on the interaction in her book “Melania and Me,” telling readers that her ex-friend wasn’t open to any magazine appearances unless she was offered a full cover. So it looks like a Vogue collaboration wasn’t out of the question, but since it wasn’t on Melania’s terms, she turned down the opportunity without giving it a second thought.