For almost 20 years, Kim Kardashian has become known for her provocative magazine covers and sultry selfies on Instagram.

On Monday, however, her Instagram Story featuring Melania Trump snagged the spotlight. The image, showcasing Trump’s widely-discussed wide-brimmed hat from her husband President Donald Trump’s inauguration, stunned Kardashian’s followers.

While Kardashian maintains a good relationship with Ivanka Trump, the Kardashian-Jenner family generally keeps their political views under wraps and tend to favor the Democratic Party when they do express opinions.

The backlash erupted over Kardashian’s post because she is a prominent figure who seldom shares her political stance and remained silent during the ongoing 2024 presidential campaign.

In 2016, Kardashian backed Hillary Clinton in the election against President Trump, who ultimately prevailed. Following Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s victory in 2020, she tweeted three blue hearts alongside a photo of the duo.

The unexpected Instagram Story took many of her 350 million followers by surprise, leaving fans bewildered by the Skkn founder’s actions.

Fans criticize Kim Kardashian for sharing Melania Trump

After posting about the First Lady, Kardashian faced criticism from fans who interpreted it as an endorsement. She shared the photo without any commentary.

One user remarked, “girl…. sold out for far-right MAGA propaganda.”

Famous Chicago food blogger Teri Turner from @nocrumbsleft added, “Well at least we can see exactly who you are.”

“I UNFOLLOWED!” another user commented, while a different one urged others not to watch their show or buy their products, saying, “Hit them where it hurts.” Another account chimed in with, “You post Melania but not Martin,” referencing the fact that Inauguration Day coincided with Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Recent Melania Trump post follows tension with Donald Trump

The connection between Kardashian and Trump soured after they had worked well together on criminal justice reform during his first term.

Kardashian sought Trump’s support at his Mar-a-Lago estate for another clemency request, but he declined, assuming she voted for Biden in 2020.

While Kardashian hasn’t revealed who she voted for in 2020, she has praised Trump for collaborating with her on matters related to the incarcerated individuals she has championed. In 2019, she acknowledged that she had contemplated the backlash that could come from visiting the White House.

In October 2023, Kim Kardashian interacted with Ivanka Trump

Kardashian had previously caused some discontent among fans by posting birthday celebrations with Ivanka Trump at Funke restaurant in Beverly Hills, California.

She shared a series of photos captioned, “So blessed to have hit the jackpot of friends! I couldn’t have ever dreamed I would be so lucky to call these girls my friends ✨ thank you for all the birthday love ❤️,” featuring Ivanka, along with Hollywood producer Lydia Kives and Lauren Sánchez, Jeff Bezos’ fiancé.

Kardashian faced backlash previously over Tesla bot after Elon Musk’s appointment

In November, Kim Kardashian introduced a “new friend,” a Tesla bot, to her followers.

The robot demonstrated various actions like waving and dancing alongside her. However, some followers interpreted this content as a hint at her political views, suspecting she supported President-elect Donald Trump, as he appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk to co-head the inaugural “Department of Government Efficiency.”

“Kim and her stupid robot is all I need to see to know she voted for Trump,” one follower commented. Another added, “Women who support Kim K? Which is more important, your womanhood or Skims? Make her feel it! We know who she voted for now.”

Contributing: David Oliver, Marina Pitofsky, Alyssa Goldberg