What We Know About Lara Trump's Relationship With Paula Deen

Members of the Trump family have been associated with several controversial public figures, and celebrity chef Paula Deen is one of them. Lara Trump in particular seems to have grown fond of the former Food Network star. It's unknown exactly when their friendship began, but the pair have been spotted hanging out on several occasions.

Deen, who was ousted from the Food Network in June 2013 after admitting to using a racial slur during a sexual harassment lawsuit case, was spotted spending time with Lara in December 2022. The cookbook author was invited to an event at Mar-A-Lago. It's unclear what the nature of the festivities was, but Deen posed for a selfie with the Republican National Committee co-chair, which was shared on Lara's Facebook page. The pair smiled as they sat with other attendees at what appeared to be a dinner table. After hosting Deen for the evening, it wouldn't be the last time the pair spent time together.

Nearly two years after Paula Deen joined Lara Trump at the Palm Beach resort, the "Love and Best Dishes" writer cooked dinner for Lara at her home. In April 2024, the aspiring singer, who recently launched a music career, shared a video on Instagram with the caption "Dinner at Paula's." The clip featured Deen showing off the Southern cuisine she'd prepared for Lara, which included a pot roast, collard greens, and green beans.

Deen listed several other dishes that were still being cooked, as Lara expressed her excitement. "I'm ready to eat, she exclaimed in the short video. At the beginning of the video, when Deen admitted to agonizing over what to make, Lara replied, "We're easy, Paula," suggesting that other members of the Trump family had joined her at the home. Though it's unclear which other Trumps might have been in attendance, Deen has previously got support from Lara's father-in-law, Donald Trump, who felt she was treated too harshly following her racial slur scandal.

Years before Eric Trump's wife, Lara, was getting home-cooked meals from Paula Deen, Donald Trump believed the public had wrongly crucified her. In a June 2013 tweet, he wrote, "Paula Deen made a big mistake in using a forbidden word but must be given some credit for admitting her mistake. She will be back!" He doubled down on these feelings, particularly when questions arose about why former Rep. Charlie Rangel could use the C-word when describing people of white descent, but Deen received backlash for using the racist term.

"Paula Deen was absolutely crucified, what they did with her," Trump said during an August 2013 episode of "Fox & Friends," which discussed Rangel's words and an alleged double standard. "I don't know what even happened to her. I see everybody dropped her. She has really got some problems. It's amazing." It's unknown if this is what sparked Deen's friendship with Lara Trump, but the embattled culinary expert, known for her indulgent dishes including her infamous scrambled eggs, has seemingly had the support of the Trumps since the early days of her scandal.