All the awkward times the White House savagely shut down The Kardashians
People sensed 'presidential shade' at one point
The Kardashians have rubbed shoulders with some of the most powerful people in the world, and we’re talking Hollywood A-listers and politicians, here. But not every brush with the higher-ups has gone smoothly.
Over the years, members of America’s most famous family have stepped into the political spotlight, sometimes making headlines for all the wrong reasons and occasionally prompting the White House to step in with a clarification.
From official visits to presidential shade, here are the moments when the Kardashians’ connection to the White House didn’t exactly go as planned.
That time Kim Kardashian met Donald Trump
In 2018, Kim Kardashian made international headlines when she met with then-President Donald Trump to discuss prison reform.
The visit was part of her campaign to free Alice Marie Johnson, a grandmother serving a life sentence for a nonviolent drug offence.
The meeting was ultimately a success. Trump later granted Johnson clemency. But it also sparked debate about celebrity influence in politics.
After reports suggested Kim might be advising the White House on more clemency cases, a spokesperson clarified that she was not working in any official capacity, describing her instead as “a private citizen who requested a meeting.”
Still, the meeting marked a turning point for Kim, who went on to pursue a law degree and continue her advocacy work. It was one of the few Kardashian-White House encounters that resulted in real policy change, even if the administration wanted to make sure no one mistook her for a government insider.
When Khloé Kardashian visited the Obama White House
Long before Kim’s political pursuits, Khloé Kardashian made a trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
In January 2010, she joined her then-husband, Lamar Odom and his Los Angeles Lakers teammates, as they visited President Barack Obama to celebrate their NBA championship win.
A year later, the family found themselves back in the political conversation when Michelle Obama mentioned that she and the President weren’t keen on their daughters watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians, per ABC.
While the First Lady’s comments weren’t meant as an official dig, fans couldn’t help but interpret them as presidential shade toward America’s most famous reality TV dynasty.
When the Biden administration clarified Kim’s White House invite
Even in the Biden era, the Kardashians can’t seem to stay out of DC headlines.
In 2023, Kim attended a business event in Washington and shared photos on social media, tagging the official White House account and thanking them for “the invite.”
But within hours, a spokesperson clarified that the event was not organised by the White House, nor was Kim an invited guest of the administration, she was attending a private roundtable on entrepreneurship held nearby.
The correction quickly made headlines, reminding everyone that while Kim might be one of the most recognisable figures in the world, that doesn’t automatically make her part of official White House business. Awkward!
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