Why The Met Gala Snub Is Especially Painful For Donald & Melania Trump's Relationship

The Met Gala is one of the most high-profile events in Hollywood. Yet, there's one former president who will definitely not be in attendance this year — or any year in the future, for that matter. Donald Trump has been banned from the Met Gala for many years. It's easy to imagine that this is upsetting for a celebrity who loves the spotlight as much as Donald. But, it may actually be upsetting for a more personal reason, too. This event is where Donald proposed to Melania Trump two decades ago.

While Donald and Melania haven't attended the Met Gala since 2012, the couple actually attended every year prior starting in 2003. The Met Gala is known for its complex themes, which change every year. The 2004 event was themed "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century." That night, at one of the biggest annual nights in fashion, Donald wore a black tuxedo, and Melania wore a black strapless gown with intricate cutouts. He popped the question at the event with a $1.5 million 5-carat diamond engagement ring, and the rest was history. 

If the pair has any intention of recreating this night, however, they'll have to do it elsewhere. Met Gala chair and editor of "Vogue," Anna Wintour has made it very clear that Donald isn't welcome back. 

If you want to attend the Met Gala, angering the event's main host since 1999, Anna Wintour, is probably the number one thing you should avoid. It seems, however, that Donald Trump has managed to do just that. In 2017, Wintour appeared on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" and played the game, "Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts," per YouTube. During the game, Corden posed a series of questions to Wintour. When he asked who would not be invited back to the Met Gala, the editor responded quickly and simply with "Donald Trump." 

This was certainly a surprise because the Trump family had long been invited to the event. Donald even attended many Met Galas before his first gala with Melania, beginning in the '80s with his first wife, Ivana Trump. Wintour and Donald were friends decades ago; the fashion icon even attended Donald and Melania's 2005 wedding. What the final straw for Wintour that ensured Donald would no longer be on the invite list was is unclear. However, it is worth noting that Wintour was very open about her support for Hillary Clinton when she ran against Donald in the 2016 presidential election. 

Asking your future wife to marry you at the Met Gala with a massive diamond is a wise choice if you want all eyes on you during your proposal. Donald Trump did just that with a Graff Diamonds platinum emerald-cut ring in 2004. According to Melania Trump, she didn't know what a memorable Met Gala this would be before it happened. "It was a great surprise. We are very happy together," she told the New York Post at the time. According to CNN, however, despite Donald's grand display, their fellow Met Gala guests didn't even notice the proposal take place. Donald's daughter, Ivanka Trump, was by their side all night at what was her first-ever Met Gala. Ivanka's last Met Gala was in the midst of her dad's first presidential campaign in 2016.

Donald is unlikely to admit that he wishes he could attend the Met Gala again. Even so, it's safe to assume that he might, considering the fact that this was once a family affair and a life-changing moment for him and Melania. The 2024 Met Gala, which marks 20 years since Donald proposed to Melania, is coming right in the midst of Donald's third presidential campaign, his criminal fraud trial, and a myriad of legal woes. That certainly can't make being banned any easier for Donald or Melania to stomach.