Vogue Slams Melania Trump’s Official Portrait Saying She Looks Like 'Freelance Magician'

The White House shared First Lady Melania Trump's official portrait this week, and while the image got divisive reactions from the public, famous fashion magazine Vogue didn't hold back in its scathing opinion of the image.

The publication titled its review of the first lady's look: "Melania Trump Cosplays The Apprentice in Her Official White House Portrait."

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Written by Hannah Jackson, Vogue felt like the look made Melania look like a "freelance magician," while also saying that she "looked more like she was guest starring on an episode of The Apprentice than assuming the role of first lady of the United States," referring to her husband Donald Trump's famous reality TV series.

But the criticism didn't end there, with Jackson noting how Melania's portrait was quite different than that of those that came before her: "It’s perhaps unsurprising that a woman who lived in a gold-encrusted penthouse, whose fame is so intertwined with a reality-television empire, would refuse to abandon theatrics—even when faced with 248 years of tradition."

Jackson admitted that the 2025 photo was "noticeably more toned down" than the one released by the White House during Trump's first term, which was taken by the same photographer, Régine Mahaux.

People had mixed reactions to Melania's official portrait when it was first shared, with some major fans who commented, "Class, grace, and elegance personified!" and "Stunning! Absolutely iconic."

"Actually I really like this. Very modern and it definitely captures the unorthodoxy of the Trumps in the White House," wrote a third fan of the photo.

But some felt similar to Vogue, such as one who joked, "I do think this going to be iconic. Maybe not in a good way but it will be."

"Omg. They posed her like Claire Underwood. They really think it is all a show," said another critic, who noted similarities between Melania's pose and that of Robin Wright's character in House of Cards.

Others also compared the photo to Trump's show The Apprentice, saying, "Melania is very pretty, but she looks like she's about to fire me," and "You’re fired 🤣."

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