A Vanity Fair editor has vowed to resign if First Lady Melania Trump appears on the magazine’s cover, according to a report from the Daily Mail.
Global editorial director Mark Guiducci, who took over in June, has reportedly floated the idea of featuring Trump on Vanity Fair’s cover, Semafor reported.
The suggestion has caused internal uproar, with some staffers warning of a “meltdown” if the plan moves forward.
Threats of Walkouts
“I will walk out the motherf—– door, and half my staff will follow me,” one anonymous editor told the Daily Mail.
Another staffer said the objection was political: “We are not going to normalize this despot and his wife; we’re just not going to do it. We’re going to stand for what’s right.”
That editor added they were willing to risk their career over the issue, even saying they’d work at Trader Joe’s if necessary.
Historical Context
During her husband’s first presidency, Melania Trump was notably absent from the covers of Vanity Fair and Condé Nast’s Vogue, both of which had frequently spotlighted past first ladies.
She did appear on the cover of Vanity Fair Mexico in 2017 and was featured in Vogue in 2005 after marrying Donald Trump.
By contrast, Michelle Obama appeared on Vogue three times during Barack Obama’s presidency, while Jill Biden has been featured twice during Joe Biden’s term.
Divided Opinions Among Staff
Not all Vanity Fair staffers were opposed. One employee told the Daily Mail that the outcry would likely fade quickly: “It’s all talk. If they put her on the cover, people will protest and gripe about it, but I don’t see anyone quitting such a prestigious job over that.”
That same staffer added that the decision ultimately rests with Guiducci: “He’s the one who will sink or swim over that choice, not the rest of us.”
