Karlie Kloss Explains How She Handles Trump Family Connection As A Democrat
“I think it’s possible to have relationships with people who you politically don’t align with."
A lot of families have had to navigate political differences (or, they’ve taken a much more definitive approach), but that friction is dialed up to extreme levels for Karlie Kloss. The supermodel proudly supports liberal initiatives and candidates, so her marriage to Joshua Kushner — whose family has famously close ties to President Donald Trump — raised some questions. After years of publicly backing Trump’s political rivals, Kloss gave a rare statement on how she maintains a relationship with her far-right in-laws.
Kloss’ politics became a topic of public interest after she married Kushner in 2018. Though Kushner has described himself as a “lifelong Democrat” who did not vote for Trump in 2016, his brother Jared served as Trump’s senior advisor from 2017 to 2021, and has been married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka since 2009. When Kloss was asked about her familial tied to the Trumps through her marriage, she maintained that her left-leaning politics have never wavered.
“Well, I know who I am,” Kloss told Bloomberg on July 1. “I know the values that guide my life and the issues that I care about. So, you know, I haven’t lost sight of who I am, but also, it’s my husband’s family.”
These values have led Kloss to participate in anti-gun protests and petition for abortion rights in her home state of Missouri. She credits her hometown with helping her to navigate close relationships despite stark political differences.
“We’re sitting here in St. Louis, which is a blue dot in a red state,” Kloss said. “Since as long as I can remember, I’ve always been exposed to a lot of different political points of view, and I think that trained me for my life. You know, I’m a Democrat. I think it’s possible to have relationships with people who you politically don’t align with. And I think this country has always been a place for dialogue. We have to be able to talk to each other.”
While Kloss has been spotted catching up with her sister-in-law Ivanka at public events before, she clarified that she has yet to come face-to-face with Ivanka’s dad. “I have never met President Trump,” Kloss stated.
