Sparkle, glamour and controversies. The 2026 edition of the Met Gala, scheduled from Monday, May 4 to Tuesday, May 5, is shaping up to be more tense than ever. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, a closer associate of the Trump clan, and his wife Lauren Sanchez will be the honorary co-chairs of the event, which they are also sponsoring. This choice has divided opinions to the extent that some headline acts have declined the highly coveted invitation.
Calls for a boycott have been increasing as the new edition approaches, both online and on the streets of Manhattan. The event has already been a subject of controversies, but such a campaign of protest is unprecedented for this glamorous evening, where the outfits of a crowd of celebrities, usually closely scrutinized, may take a back seat to the controversies, absentees, and anticipated demonstrations.
Bezos in ICE uniform
Leading up to the Met Gala, New Yorkers have seen a billboard campaign on bus shelters calling for a boycott of the annual event. The campaign, initiated by the collective Everyone Hates Elon, portrays Jeff Bezos as an ICE agent with the words “Amazon supports ICE. Boycott Bezos’ Met Gala.” He is also depicted holding a Champagne glass with the caption “Bezos’ Met Gala invites you to party like it’s 1939. Democracy is so outdated. Dress code: willful ignorance.” Quite the ambiance.
Moreover, the collective did not stop there, determined to disrupt this year’s fashion event. “We’ve just hidden hundreds of ‘urine bottles’ at @metmuseum to protest against@jeffbezos hosting the Met Gala,” Everyone Hates Elon announced on their Instagram account on Sunday. While clarifying that it was not actual urine, they added, “The Met Museum is mocking us by choosing Jeff as host of their gala. When they celebrate Trump’s billionaires, let’s ridicule them instead,” setting the tone for the upcoming evening.
Donald Trump and Nicki Minaj on the blacklist
In 2017, Anna Wintour, who chairs the Met Gala, announced that Donald Trump would no longer grace the event’s red carpet. To this day, he remains the only personality officially banned from this annual rendezvous. However, rumors suggest that other celebrities are also unwelcome on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. According to L’Officiel USA, Tim Gunn, a notable figure from the New York design school Parsons and the show Project Runway, is rumored to be among the banned.
Similarly, Lili Reinhart could be on the blacklist for criticizing Kim Kardashian’s rapid weight loss for the 2022 Met Gala. The ex of Kanye West shed 15 pounds in three weeks to fit into the dress Marilyn Monroe wore for John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday. The Sun adds Nicki Minaj to the list for her recent media comments.
Beyoncé confirmed, Zendaya absent
The Met Gala strategically leaks information about the present (and absent) guests while keeping a veil of mystery around the participation of certain celebrities (all about the suspense). Already confirmed is Beyoncé making a comeback to the red carpet after a decade of absence, and as a co-chair at that. Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Kim Kardashian, Lewis Hamilton, Anne Hathaway, Gigi Hadid, Romeo Beckham, Sombr, Yseult (and of course Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez) will be in attendance.
However, the present guests might be overshadowed by the…absentees. The “fan pages,” always well-informed on the eve of the Met Gala, indicate on Instagram that Zendaya will miss the evening. And the star of the series Euphoria will not be the only one absent from the limelight. Kanye West, Blake Lively, Nicki Minaj (hence), Bella Hadid, and Ariana Grande will also be missing. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani will count among the absentees, according to Page Six.
To celebrate the spring exhibition of the Costume Institute, titled “Costume Art,” the dress code for the 2026 Met Gala will be “Fashion is Art.” A theme that is extremely broad and does not reveal much about the expected outfits, and much less politically charged than last year. Remember, the Met Gala 2025 celebrated the history of black dandyism. However, due to the controversies surrounding this edition, the evening is expected to be more political than ever.
