Could the exit of Anna Wintour from Vogue finally pave the way for Melania Trump to grace the cover she was so pointedly denied during her First Lady tenure?
At a Glance
- Anna Wintour is stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue after 36 years but will remain in a powerful role at parent company Condé Nast.
- During her tenure, Vogue consistently featured Democratic First Ladies on its cover while ignoring their Republican counterparts.
- Melania Trump was never offered a cover during her time as First Lady, a move Wintour defended as “taking a stand.”
- Mrs. Trump has expressed her indifference to the “biased” magazine’s snub.
A New Era at Vogue?
A seismic shift has rocked the fashion world with the news that Anna Wintour is stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue. The announcement has immediately sparked speculation about the future direction of the iconic magazine, particularly whether its long-standing political bias against conservative women will finally come to an end.
The central question is whether a new editor will finally offer a cover to former First Lady Melania Trump, who was conspicuously absent from the magazine’s pages during her four years in the White House. While Wintour is leaving the top job at Vogue, she will remain a powerful force as the global chief content officer for parent company Condé Nast, leaving many to wonder how much will truly change.
A History of Political Bias
Under Wintour’s leadership, a clear partisan pattern emerged. Democratic First Ladies were celebrated, with Hillary Clinton becoming the first to grace the cover, followed by Michelle Obama (who appeared three times) and Jill Biden. In stark contrast, Republican First Ladies, including Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, and Melania Trump, were all ignored during their time in the White House.
In a 2019 interview, Wintour essentially admitted the exclusion was political. When asked why she had not featured Mrs. Trump, Wintour said, “You have to stand up for what you believe in, and you have to take a point of view,” adding, “I don’t think it’s a moment not to take a stand,” as reported by multiple outlets.
The Melania “Snub”
Melania Trump has publicly expressed her indifference to the snub from the fashion elite. “They’re biased, and they have likes and dislikes, and it’s so obvious,” she said in a 2023 interview with Fox News. “I think American people and everyone sees it. It was their decision, and I have much more important things to do… than being on the cover of Vogue.”
Her frustration was also captured in a secretly recorded 2018 conversation, where she vented about the magazine’s overtures. “Vogue said, like, oh, we want to do a profile. Profile? F*** you, profile,” she said.
Her former spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham, has also made it clear where the former First Lady stands. “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. While Mrs. Trump did appear on a 2005 Vogue cover after her wedding, the refusal to feature her as First Lady remains a lasting symbol of the fashion world’s political divide.
