You Probably Forgot What Happened With Donald & Melania Trump At The 2004 Met Gala
It's spring time and the Met Gala is just around the corner, which means stories about interesting things that have happened at past editions of the event are en vogue. Buried deep within The New York Times' explainer of the annual party was a casual mention of one of the more intriguing tidbits about its history: President Donald Trump proposed to Melania Trump at the Met Gala. Now, we know, that line is worth a "wait what!?"
So let's take a rewind through history.
The year was 2004, six years after Donald and Melania met. At the time, the president was still a New York socialite-slash-real estate mogul who was enjoying the success of The Apprentice's first season. On the night of that year's Met Gala, Trump proposed to Melania, putting a 12-karat diamond ring on her finger, according to the New York Post.
"The ring is blinding," The Post quoted one anonymous Trump staffer as saying. "I had to put sunglasses on."
And yet, The Post also reported that guests at the party did not notice. That fact, as much as anything, is a good indicator of just how much is going on at the Met Gala every year; so much, apparently, that people attending the event can't notice that one of the most famous people in the room got engaged.
If there's any place where otherwise notable things could go, well, unnoticed, it's the Met Gala. Every year the event is attended by the famous people across different industries. Athletes go. Actresses go. And then there are the super power couples: athletes that are married to actresses, making the party a star-studded event.
On Monday, May 7, the 2018 edition of the Met Gala will likely be no different. You can be sure to catch the usual cast of stars, with Rihanna headlining the list as a guest of honor. What will be different, however, is the event's theme, with this year's focus being catholicism.
One thing's for certain, though, the Trumps will not be at the Met Gala. Unless you've been under a rock, you'll know that a lot has changed since the 2004 Met Gala at which Donald proposed, and that the Trump family has a new primary residence these days.
Oh, and then there's the small fact that the president is pretty much banned from the gala, like forever. At least, that's the way Anna Wintour seems to want it.
During an interview in October, the Vogue editor-in-chief — who, oh by the way, just happens to be the chairwoman of the Met Gala — said that if there's one person she never wants to invite again, it's Donald Trump.
He's busy these days anyway, so it all works out.
Donald and Melania Trump will always have that time in 2004, though, which unfortunately seems like a much, much happier period in their relationship than present day.
These days, Melania seems to be staying away from cameras, as the subject of her husband and alleged affairs become a top media story again. Trump and the White House have consistently denied those alleged affairs occurred, of course. But on Thursday, May 3, the president did admit that he'd reimbursed his lawyer $130,000 paid for a nondisclosure agreement that was meant to keep adult film star Stormy Daniels from talking about an alleged sexual encounter in 2006.
In a televised interview, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani argued that the payment was meant to protect Melania.
"If we had to defend this as not being a campaign contribution, I think we could do that," Giuliani told Fox & Friends. "This was for personal reasons. This was the president had been hurt, personally, not politically, personally so much, and the first lady, by some of the false allegations, that one more false allegation — six years old — I think he [lawyer Michael Cohen] was trying to help the family."
Hours after the interview, Melania was a no-show at Trump's White House prayer event.
