Vogue mocks Melania Trump’s White House portrait, calls her a 'freelance magician'

Melania Trump came under heavy criticism in a harsh fashion op-ed published by Vogue on Tuesday.Writer Hannah Jackson slammed the first lady’s attire and appearance in her official White House portrait, which was taken by Belgian photographer Régine Mahaux and revealed earlier this week.

“Trump looked more like she was guest starring on an episode of ‘The Apprentice’ than assuming the role of first lady of the United States,” she wrote, referring to the black Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo jacket, white button-up, and Ralph Lauren cummerbund Melania chose for the photograph.

Jackson remarked that the tuxedo, instead of a blazer or blouse, made Melania look more like “a freelance magician than a public servant.”

The writer then took a more personal swipe, suggesting Melania, 54, kept her theatrical persona for the portrait due to her life in a “gold-encrusted penthouse” and the way her fame is linked to a “reality-television empire.”

Jackson ended her piece with a backhanded compliment, stating that the new photo was an improvement over the first lady’s 2017 portrait, in which her face was “airbrushed into oblivion.”

She added, “This time, while the portrait remains more subdued, the Trumps are displaying wealth not through diamond rings but through the coterie of tech CEOs who sat in the front row at the 2025 inauguration, whose combined net worth was over a trillion dollars.”

Since the article's release, many individuals have come to Melania Trump’s defense on social media.

In response to the Vogue post on X, one user wrote, “She’s stunning and rarely misses when it comes to fashion … your opinions are trash and based purely on politics. Pathetic.”

Another commented, “Vogue you are pathetic. Melania is beautiful and elegant.”

A third user posted, “@voguemagazine are haters and prove their positions are purely political. You all worshipped Jill Biden! LOL,” referencing the former first lady’s August 2024 Vogue cover.