Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Jill Biden will grace the cover of Vogue in August, marking a return of America’s first lady on the magazine cover after a four-year break during the Trump era.
The US first lady traditionally features on the cover of Vogue, although this is not official convention. But Melania Trump, former US President Donald Trump’s wife, was snubbed during his time as head of state.
No reason was ever given for why Melania never made it on the magazine, which Mr Trump complained about in 2020. But in an editor’s letter endorsing Joe Biden last year, editor-in-chief Anna Wintour highlighted Mr Trump’s “dishonesty” and “shocking lack of empathy”.
News of Jill’s appearance on the magazine cover has sparked debate between Trump supporters and supporters of Joe Biden.
Some fans of the former first couple pointed out that Melania had once been a fashion model and therefore deserved to be on the cover of Vogue during her husband’s presidency.
Presenter Benny Johnson tweeted: “Just like that, the magazine hiatus on First Ladies is lifted after four years of having a literal model in the White House.”
Another Twitter user said: “Jill Biden will be ‘gracing’ the cover of Vogue’s August edition, after years of the magazine ignoring supermodel Melania Trump.”
Melania, who has been married to Mr Trump since 2005, modelled in Milan and Paris before the moved to New York City in 1996. She also launched her own line of jewellery in 2010 and had a skincare line called Melania Marks Skin Care Collection.
Several people accused Vogue of being “partisan” and favouring Jill over Melania due to their political affiliations. One person said the magazine was “petty and mean” for not putting Melania on the cover during her time in the White House.
However, despite Mr Trump’s complaints that the magazine snubbed his wife, Melania’s former friend and aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff claimed in her tell-all book Melania & Me that the former first lady turned down a request by Vogue to interview her for a profile in the magazine.
According to Winston Wolkoff, Melania was recorded in 2018 as saying: “Vogue said like, oh, we want to do a profile. F*** you, profile. I don’t need no profile. Yeah, what I need another profile?
“It might be a cover. I’m like, might be a cover? I don’t give a f*** about Vogue and any magazine.”
Numerous Vogue readers and fans of the Biden presidency jumped to defend the magazine’s decision to put Jill on the cover, describing her as “beautiful” and “classy”.
One person wrote: “Jill Biden is intelligent, beautiful inside and out. I’m so proud to call her the First Lady of the United States, and her husband, President of the United States!”
Another added: “Congratulations Dr Biden. It’s so wonderful to see a strong, beautiful and confident woman for First Lady again. It’s clear how much you care about things that really do matter.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments