Inside The Friendship Between Kim Kardashian And Ivanka Trump

Two rich fashionistas from famous families become best buddies — it may sound like something out of a Netflix comedy, but it actually describes the inner circle relationship between Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump. It's not surprising the two women bonded; they run in similar circles, and they also have children close in age. But Kardashian and Trump have even more in common than you might think. Both have weathered tons of public criticism aimed at both their families in general and themselves in particular. 

They're also both evidently out to prove that they're more than just items in the social columns. Following in her lawyer father's footsteps, Kardashian has lobbied for criminal justice reform since beginning her legal apprenticeship. Trump, meanwhile, co-founded Planet Harvest, an organization that works to distribute surplus food from farms to both families in need and companies such as Chobani Yogurt. Being bicoastal — Kardashian is an L.A. girl, while Trump lives in Palm Beach — means they can't just drop by for a coffee and venting session. But these two have managed to stay close in spite of the curveballs life has thrown their way. Here's a look at where they started and where their friendship is now.

These two high-powered friends appear to have initially met at the 2014 Met Gala, the glitzy, star-studded annual celebration of high fashion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. People caught Ivanka Trump and Kim Kardashian chatting amiably in the ballroom, noting that they were "fellow new mom[s]." Trump's daughter Arabella was three and dazzled by her mom's glam dress, while Kardashian's daughter North West was about to turn one. They're also fellow one-percenters; Kardashian and her ex Kanye West enjoy an insanely glamorous life even after their complex split, and Trump, a savvy businesswoman, has her own fortune even without the income of investment banker hubby Jared Kushner. 

How time does fly. More than a decade later, both Trump and Kardashian have both added to their family. Arabella has younger brothers Joseph and Theo Trump, while "Nori" is a big sis to sister Chicago and brothers Saint and Psalm. That certainly gives these two plenty to talk about during their get-togethers, but other matters are no doubt on their minds as well.

Kim Kardashian's Trump World connection goes back much further than the 2014 Met Gala. Back in 2010, two reality shows collided when the SKIMS founder appeared on Donald Trump's hit show "The Apprentice." Her new fragrance brand was about to launch at Perfumania, and the two teams competed to see who could come up with the best in-store display. As Trump enthused in a statement at the time, "I admire Kim and her success, and we were happy to have America's largest fragrance retailer on the show," (via NBC News). A decade later, Kardashian was working towards her law degree, while the former reality star had moved into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. She took a keen interest in prison reform, ultimately helping to convince the president to commute the sentences of several nonviolent offenders.

But Kardashian and Trump's relationship has had its downs along with its ups. Reportedly, the "Kardashians" star wanted the divisive leader to pardon additional prisoners before he left office in 2021, but Trump refused. During his second administration, Kardashian spoke out against the president's harsh immigration policies. In one statement on her Instagram Stories, she wrote in part, "[W]hen we witness innocent, hardworking people being ripped from their families in inhumane ways, we have to speak up. We have to do what's right," per Hello! magazine. 

Fighting back, White House administration officials accused Kardashian of being ignorant, and the president himself dismissed her on Truth Social as "the World's most overrated celebrity," (via The Independent). Ivanka Trump has judiciously avoided getting involved in any of these disagreements. Having opted out of politics for the foreseeable future, she's focused solely on the social aspect of her friendship with Kardashian.

Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump's friendship met its biggest challenge following an incident that neither one of them was even responsible for. Kardashian and Kanye West's marriage had been showing signs of strain for years prior, largely due to the rapper's history of bipolar disorder and his increasingly erratic behavior. She ultimately filed for divorce in 2021, but the drama didn't end there. In 2022, West spoke out against Ivanka's husband, Jared Kushner, during a Fox News interview, claiming that he wasn't doing enough to support President Donald Trump, and that his work toward peace in Israel was motivated solely by money. 

The Grammy winner followed up with a hateful post on his X account, formerly known as Twitter, hinting at violent thoughts against the Jewish community. This had to have been especially disturbing for Ivanka, who converted to Judaism when she married Kushner. And yet, what could have been a dealbreaker for the pals seems to have only drawn them closer. Two weeks after West's tweet, the Daily Mail caught Kardashian and her longtime friend leaving an upscale Los Angeles restaurant where they reportedly enjoyed a three-hour dinner and gab session. 

It's highly likely the two women discussed West's controversial statements, because shortly after the meal, Kardashian publicly distanced herself from her ex's views. She wrote on X, "Hate speech is never OK or excusable. I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end." Her followers had mixed reactions; some applauded the reality star, while others scolded Kardashian for her veiled attempt to criticize the father of her children. 

Ivanka Trump and Kim Kardashian apparently see each other as often as their busy schedules permit. We don't know if they share memes on Instagram or if they ever make time for a girls' day out, but they've been spotted together at plenty of social events over the years regardless. The pair were guests at the lavish wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, in Italy, in Summer 2025. Two years earlier, Trump attended Kardashian's 43rd birthday party in Beverly Hills, surprising many who hadn't even realized the two women were that close. The birthday girl seated Trump next to her at the dinner table, cementing their status for all to see (and we do mean "all"; the glitzy event was captured for an episode of "The Kardashians"). 

Even when they can't physically be together, the longtime friends make time to honor each other's October birthdays; Kardashian's is the 21st, and Trump's is the 30th. When the former senior White House advisor turned 44, in 2025, Kardashian shared the above photo on her Instagram Stories, gushing alongside it, "Happy Birthday to the smartest, kindest woman I know! I hope you are celebrating big! Love you! @ivankatrump This will always be one of my favorite pics of us!" 

A year earlier, the SKIMS founder made a similar gesture, writing, "No one sweeter than you," (via the Daily Mail). Having weathered so much controversy already, the "All's Fair" star and her fairness-loving first daughter pal seem to be BFFs in every sense of the phrase.