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Met Gala 2019: Trump can do ‘absolutely nothing’ to bag an invite, says Anna Wintour

The Vogue US editor discusses the possibility of inviting the president of the US to the Met Gala

Katie O'Malley
Monday 15 April 2019 11:26 BST
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Anna Wintour says Donald Trump can do 'absolutely nothing' to get a Met Gala invite

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Anna Wintour has revealed there is “absolutely nothing” President Donald Trump can do to bag an invite to the Met Gala 2019.

Ahead of the event on Monday 6 May, which is one of the most significant dates in the fashion calendar, the Vogue US editor opened up about the prospect of inviting the US president.

During a panel discussion at journalist Tina Brown’s 10th Annual Women in the World Summit on Friday, Brown questioned Wintour whether there was anything Trump could do to receive an invitation to the upcoming “Camp: Notes on Fashion”-themed event.

“Absolutely nothing,” she said to rapturous applause from the audience at the Lincoln Centre in New York City.

The news comes days after Wintour said it is important to “take a stand” when deciding which influential women in politics to cover in Vogue.

"You have to stand up for what you believe in, and you have to take a point of view," the 69-year-old said stated.

Wintour has long been a keen Democrat supporter, having hosted fundraisers for former president candidate Hillary Clinton and the 44th president of the US, Barack Obama in recent years.

Anna WIntour and Donald Trump at the US Open at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on September 11, 2005
Anna WIntour and Donald Trump at the US Open at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on September 11, 2005 (Getty Images)

According to data from the New York Times, Wintour was the fourth largest bundler (those who gather checks from friends and business associates) during Obama’s campaign, raising more than £4m for the former president since 2007.

On the subject of her political allegiances, Wintour also revealed she recently took Hillary Clinton to watch the theatre adaptation of the BBC comedy, Fleabag at New York’s SoHo Playhouse.

“I did and she loved it,” Wintour told Brown. “I was so nervous it would be too raunchy for her but she was […] she thought it was fantastic.”

Last month, Wintour hosted an intimate dinner with the productions’ star, actor and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge in New York, with actors Anne Hathaway and Sienna Miller also in attendance.

Anna Wintour and Tina Brown speak during the 10th Anniversary Women In The World Summit at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on April 12, 2019
Anna Wintour and Tina Brown speak during the 10th Anniversary Women In The World Summit at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on April 12, 2019 (Getty Images)

Wintour, also opened up about the death of former Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld during the interview, revealing she “bawled” in an airport the day after hearing news of his passing.

“I was in an airport reading all of the papers, the obituaries, sitting next to a very unfashionable man, in a checkered shirt, you know, and I just started to bawl,” Wintour recalled.

“[The man] just started silently handing me kerchiefs. I said, ‘Thank you for being so kind’ and he said ‘Madam, the world has lost a great figure.’ Even he felt the loss."

Opening up her outfit choice for this year's Met Gala event, hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she said: “I haven’t decided yet, I have options.

"I’m really hoping that someone will arrive in hiking boots and a backpack.”

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The 2019 Met Gala marks the event’s 71st anniversary. Wintour will co-chair the event with Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, Serena Williams and Gucci creative director Alessandro Michelle.

Read more about the Met Gala 2019 here.

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