Vogue, the prestigious publication, has picked many former first ladies as their cover stars, including the likes of Hillary Clinton, Jill Biden, and Michelle Obama. However, Melania Trump has yet to land a feature on the magazine cover even after she became the first lady of the United States. Her long feud with Vogue is nothing new, and it all began with her bad blood with the publication’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour.
While many think the deterioration of friendship between the former model and the Wintour is the reason behind this snub, others point out political bias. However, Melania herself blamed it on Vogue’s “favoritism.” During an interview with Fox News, the first lady lamented, “They’re biased. They have likes and dislikes, and it’s so obvious.”
Despite her feud with the magazine, she would be glad to know that she still has a chance to land her dream cover, but for that, she needs to make a major sacrifice. Amy O’Dell, the author of Anna: The Biography, spoke to Daily Mail about this. Having built a close relationship with Anna Wintour, she can claim that the editor-in-chief hasn’t ruled out the possibility of having Melania Trump as a cover star.
“[Anna] does know how to stir the pot. And I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that she’s not going to feature Melania. I also don’t think anybody knows. Anna is unpredictable,” O’Dell told Daily Mail. Another insider agreed with her statement, emphasizing while it is possible, the offer would only be on the table with certain conditions. A third source further explained the high stakes. “Something extraordinary would have to happen,” the insider insisted that the first lady can only get back on Wintour’s good side if she decides to sacrifice her title.
“If she was going to leave Donald [Trump]– if there was a hint of divorce – Anna would be first in line for an interview,” the source revealed.
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For Melania, this is a huge price to pay, and she is unlikely to put up with it just to get a potential interview with Vogue. In fact, she claimed otherwise, saying that it was she who rejected the cover star invitation before.
NBC News reports that in a phone call discreetly recorded by her former aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, the first lady was heard recalling how she turned down one of the most popular magazine companies. “Vogue said, ‘Oh, we want to do a profile on the first lady.’ Profile? Eff you, profile. I don’t need a profile,” Mrs. Trump said, expressing her apparent disdain towards the publication.
💥 Melania Trump being asked why she believes she was never on the cover of Vogue as First Lady. She has a tactful, gracious response. ❤️
🔊 Sound ON 👇 pic.twitter.com/zU05MXbs5R
— MAGA Marie 🦅🇺🇸 (@galacticaactual) July 13, 2023
She also added that the magazine had “begged her” to reconsider the offer for a second time. “They come back…like two months ago…They came back,” she claimed in the aforementioned phone call. According to reports, Vogue tried to persuade her to an interview, but Melania was no longer interested. During the Fox News interview, she said, “We have so many other important things to do than to be on the cover of any magazine,” emphasizing, “I think that life would not change for anybody if I’m on the cover.”
Although she remains one of very few among her contemporaries who was never granted the opportunity, it’s unlikely that she will give up on her “Trump” name just to get back on Vogue’s good side.
