Who is the 'mysterious woman' on NYMag’s controversial cover? MAGA fans can’t get enough

NYMag’s cover goes viral over mystery woman—while critics slam it for allegedly cropping out Black attendees.

A mysterious woman in a black lace dress has taken social media by storm after appearing on the cover of New York Magazine’s controversial article on young MAGA supporters.

The cover, which featured a group of well-dressed conservatives at a Washington inauguration party, quickly became a viral sensation, with many fans dubbing the unidentified brunette their “Roman Empire.”

For our latest cover story, @BrockColyar reported on the young, gleeful, confident, and casually cruel Trumpers who, after conquering Washington, have their sights set on the rest of America: https://t.co/S8QuhS3VPp pic.twitter.com/zKptkMhn7T

— New York Magazine (@NYMag) January 27, 2025

“Bottom left is my Roman Empire,” a user wrote on X, with others praising her appearance and speculating about her identity. “Legit beautiful. Could be a low-tier model or influencer, I’m sure,” one user commented, while another joked, “Thanks to this picture, I just joined the Republican party, and I’m not even American.”

Bottom left is my Roman Empire. https://t.co/oR261TmXS0

— Jack Mac (@JackMacCFB) January 27, 2025

Thanks to this picture, I just joined the Republican party and I am not even American.

— Jürgen Ignoto (@jurgenignoto) January 28, 2025

However, the magazine’s cover has also sparked backlash after critics accused it of selectively cropping out Black attendees to push a misleading narrative. The event’s host, conservative activist CJ Pearson, took to X to call out New York Magazine, writing, “This is insane. I hosted this event and @NYMag intentionally left me out of their story because it would have undermined their narrative that MAGA is some racist cult.”

🚨🚨This is insane.

I hosted this event and @NYMag intentionally left me out of their story because it would have undermined their narrative that MAGA is some racist cult. They also didn’t include the fact that @WakaFlocka and @Gervontaa were also there.

You don’t hate the… https://t.co/MRv2C2GZSE

— CJ Pearson (@thecjpearson) January 27, 2025

Other attendees also voiced their frustration, with one stating, “I was at this party, as were MANY other Conservative media influencers who are Black, Latino, Asian, etc.”

The article itself painted the attendees as “young, gleeful, and casually cruel,” describing them as a new wave of urban, well-connected conservatives breaking away from the traditional Trump supporter mold.

The journalist noted that the event was filled with “crypto nerds, influencer girlies, and recent MAHA (Make America Hot Again) converts,” while also describing the women as “hot enough to be extras in the upcoming American Psycho remake.”

As the controversy continues to unfold, the magazine’s journalist has since locked their X account in response to the growing backlash. Meanwhile, the viral partygoer remains unidentified, adding to the intrigue surrounding the now-infamous cover photo.