Kamala's $75K Met Gala Moment Awakens MAGA Meltdown
Met gala 2015. Photo by NoondayNews under CC BY 2.0.
On a rain-slicked Monday night in Manhattan, the glittering steps of the Met were alive with sequins, bow ties, and bold political undertones. But while stars like Rihanna and Pharrell dazzled inside fashion's biggest night, a storm was brewing far beyond the red carpet. MAGA influencers weren't just watching — they were fuming.
And this year, they say, the Met Gala crossed a line.
Welcome to May 5, 2025 — a date now seared into the latest culture war as conservative commentators exploded over what some, according to the Daily Beast, branded "truly evil."
'Superfine' or Super-Problematic?
The 2025 Met Gala, themed "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," was intended as a tribute to Black dandyism — a historic form of self-expression where Black men in Europe and the U.S. used fashion as resistance and redefinition. But while Vogue hailed it as a long-overdue celebration of Black creativity, the MAGAverse saw it as something else entirely.
To them, it wasn't style — it was "pandering," according to the Daily Beast.
Megyn Kelly, the conservative firebrand and former Fox News anchor, torched the Gala in back-to-back broadcasts. On her Monday show, according to the Daily Beast, she labeled the event "truly evil," saying, "They've decided to try to get over this reputation of [gala chair and Vogue editor-in-chief] Anna Wintour being America's biggest snob—and this thing being the most over-the-top, evil, elitist event—by pandering to Blacks."
The Daily Beast also reports she called the event symbolic of "Black tokenism."
That term — tokenism — became the rallying cry. With an all-Black host committee that included André 3000, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Angel Reese, and LeBron James, critics like Kelly accused the Met Gala of dressing up liberal excess with performative diversity.
MAGA Influencers Unleash
MAGA-aligned accounts like End Wokeness and Gunther Eagleman unleashed a steady stream of red-carpet fury. One viral post declared, "Met Gala 2025 lost at the ballot box," mocking its tone-deaf timing in the wake of President Donald Trump's 2024 re-election, according to the Daily Beast.
As reported by the Daily Beast, right wing voice Cynical Publius blasted the event as a "potent symbol of where America is in 2025."
The account also wrote, "The people who slather themselves in the viscous slime of the Met Gala produce nothing of intrinsic value. If they were to all vanish tomorrow, nothing of material worth would be lost."
Hollywood, in their view, is not just out of touch — it's expendable.
And when a clip of Vice President Kamala Harris arriving in a custom Off-White gown designed by IB Kamara hit social media, the flames only grew. Pro-Trump influencer Link Lauren, according to the Daily Beast, sneered, "Sounds about right! Those celebrity endorsements didn't help her campaign though! Not even Beyoncé!"
Fashion as Resistance — Or Liberal Spectacle?
The Costume Institute's exhibition — open to the public starting May 10 — digs into the roots of Black dandyism and the artistry of self-determination through fashion. But in 2025, under a Trump-led administration that's already pulled back diversity programs across federal agencies, the exhibit's message landed in a political minefield.
To fans, it was bold and necessary.
To critics? Another example of cultural overreach by liberal elites.
While Kamala Harris and Anna Wintour rubbed shoulders with stars and designers, MAGA figures pointed to the $75,000 ticket prices as evidence of liberal hypocrisy. Congressman Mike Lawler (R-New York) quipped, "Because nothing quite says 'TAX THE RICH' like attending the Met Gala," according to the Daily Beast, echoing past criticism of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who once wore those very words on a dress at the same event.
And just when things seemed to be cooling down, Megyn Kelly ignited fresh outrage over what she thought was Rosa Parks embroidered on panties worn by Lisa, singer and star from "The White Lotus." According to the Huffington Post, Kelly scoffed, "Yes, yes, this was the height of culture and high couture."
The designer later clarified that the embroidered figure was not Parks but a neighbor of the artist Henry Taylor. Still, the moment became fodder for critics who saw the theme as confusing at best and disrespectful at worst.
America's Culture War in Couture
Beneath the fabric and flash, this year's Met Gala became something more — a symbol of the growing divide between America's cultural gatekeepers and its political power brokers.
In past years, Met Gala buzz might've centered on Rihanna's outfit or celebrity couple sightings. But in 2025, every pose on the carpet was political — every post, a potential firestorm. The sharp contrast between the black-tie glamour in New York and the "America First" revival in Washington revealed the rift at the heart of the culture. Who gets to define beauty, excellence, and inclusion?
References: MAGA Melts Down Over 'Truly Evil' Met Gala | Megyn Kelly Melts Down Over 'Leftist' Met Gala In Wild Rant | Met Gala Will Pose Question: Can Vogue Keep Diversity in Fashion in Trump's America? | The Famous Faces You Won't See at the Met Gala Because of Their Links to 'Banned' Donald Trump
