A Look At Ivanka Trump And Kim Kardashian's Unlikely Friendship

Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump became unlikely friends after their social agendas aligned. Sure, there are stranger celeb friendship pairings than Ivanka and Kardashian. Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg are separated by a generational gap and careers that couldn't be more different if they tried. However, their friendship makes more sense, considering the origin. "Snoop and I have a special bond that dates back to when he first appeared on The Martha Stewart Show in 2008," wrote Stewart for Snoop's book "From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes From Tha Boss Dogg's Kitchen." She continued, "Our relationship was born from our connection to food as we whipped up some cognac mashed potatoes and green brownies."

Kardashian and Ivanka also formed a close-knit bond through similar interests. However, their friendship didn't revolve around being rich and beautiful. Instead, they bonded over political issues such as prison reform. In June 2018, Kardashian spoke with Inside Edition after then-President Donald Trump pardoned Alice Marie Johnson — whom Kardashian had been advocating for — and revealed that she first took the story to Ivanka. "I reached out to Ivanka, and I said, 'I know that you have compassion for women like this,'" said Kardashian. "And she immediately got it and connected me with her husband Jared Kushner," who at the time was one of Trump's senior advisers.

Here's more about their friendship.

The last few years have seen Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump bond over their shared interest in prison reform, but their friendship started a few chapters before they had any political influence. According to AOL, Kardashian met Trump through her ties with Paris Hilton. The outlet cited a tweet claiming that the fabulous trio vacationed in Saint-Tropez in 2006. It doesn't seem like Kardashian and Trump nurtured whatever bond was born from this holiday or their other possible interactions as young adults, but they were obviously on speaking terms when Kardashian started advocating for prison reform.

During the latter half of 2018, Kim Kardashian met with Trump and other White House officials to secure the release of a second prisoner. After the meeting, Kardashian tweeted, "It started with Ms. Alice, but looking at her and seeing the faces and learning the stories of the men and women I've met inside prisons I knew I couldn't stop at just one. It's time for REAL systemic change." One year later, Kardashian credited Ivanka for her assistance in her social justice strides. "Thank you @IvankaTrump for helping me to start this amazing journey of fighting for people who truly deserve a second chance!" tweeted Kardashian in June 2019.

In October 2022, Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump were spotted having dinner in California. According to TMZ, the duo enjoyed a meal at the Beverly Hills Hotel, socializing for over three hours. And while the outlet didn't specify the nature of the meeting, a source did imply that it was due to Kanye West's antisemitic rant, which he'd spewed a few weeks earlier. During this time, West had also criticized Ivanka's husband, Jared Kushner, for his perceived influence over Donald Trump.

During an interview with Tucker Carlson, West said, "After talking to them and really sitting with Jared and sitting with Josh [Kushner] and finding out other pieces of information, I was like, wow, these guys might've really been holding Trump back and being very much a handler [during the administration]," said the rapper. "They love to just look at me or look at Trump like we're so crazy and that they're the businessmen." West also criticized Jared's brother, Josh Kushner, for his lofty investment in Kardashian's shapewear line. Given the timing — as NY Mag pointed out — it's possible that Ivanka met with Kardashian for PR purposes to help her absorb the fallout from West's actions. But honestly, that sure sounds like the makings of your standard Hollywood friendship.