Melania Trump has declared she is doing some things differently on her second tour as first lady, but one thing remains the same: Vogue has not featured her as first lady on its cover.
Recent first ladies have appeared on the cover of Vogue: Jill Biden graced two covers, in August 2021 and August 2024. Michelle Obama appeared on three covers, in March 2009, April 2013, and December 2016. Laura Bush appeared in the magazine in 2005 — notably, she was not on the cover. Hillary Clinton was featured on the cover in December 1998.
This isn’t just an oversight. Vogue published an article cataloging its photographs of first ladies, and Trump was noticeably missing. One of the most influential women’s magazines, and ranked in the top 50 magazines, Vogue treats Trump differently.
We know that it is not just because she was a model. We also know that it is not just because she is married to Donald Trump. After all, she started modeling as a teenager and was featured on the cover of Vogue around their wedding. Vogue was interested in her then.
But not now. Since Donald Trump was elected to the presidency as a Republican and she became first lady, things have shifted.
Vogue not featuring Melania Trump on its cover is a powerful example of bias in women’s spaces. Popular women’s magazines highlight liberals and ignore or give less space to those with different views. It became such an obvious omission that Trump wasn’t featured during her husband’s first term that she was even asked about it on Fox & Friends ahead of his second term. She seems unbothered.
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