Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump’s friendship goes way back — years before the duo’s recent hang at Kardashian’s star-studded birthday bash.
“Kim and Ivanka have been friends for years and have hung out on a number of occasions,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “They initially bonded nearly a decade ago at the Met Gala over motherhood and being new moms. But they continued to connect numerous times over the years.”
Over the weekend, Kardashian, 43, shared a series of photos from her birthday party in Los Angeles on Friday, October 20, at Funke restaurant in Beverly Hills. In her snaps, Kim posed with several of her star-studded guests in addition to Trump, 41, and included family members Khloé Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner alongside friends Hailey Bieber, Kimora Lee Simmons, Sara Foster, Khadijah Haqq, Malika Haqq and others.
“So blessed to have hit the jackpot of friends!” Kim penned via Instagram on Sunday, October 22 while acknowledging sister Kourtney Kardashian who was not in attendance due to pregnancy complications. “I couldn’t have ever dreamed I would be so lucky to call these girls my friends ✨ thank you for all the birthday love ❤️ and Kourt I’m jumping in bed with you next week for our bed rest picnic 🎂.”
Trump, for her part, reshared the photos that Kim originally posted. “Loved celebrating you! HBD Kim ❤️✨,” she captioned the group shot of her, Kim, attorney Lydia Kives and journalist Lauren Sánchez — who is engaged to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
“Enjoying some FaceTime 👯♀️👯♀️ on your special day @kimkardashian,” Trump wrote via her Instagram Story alongside a photo of the women laughing as the former advisor held up a cutout of Kim’s face.
While Kim and Trump initially bonded over motherhood, the insider also notes that the pair have a “mutual passion” for criminal justice reform. The women also worked together to tackle the matter at the White House while Ivanka’s father, then-President Donald Trump, held office.
“It’s something they’ve both dedicated a lot of their time towards and has helped strengthen their friendship even further,” the insider shares.
In 2018, Kim visited the White House to reportedly work with Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, to advocate for a pardon for Alice Marie Johnson. Johnson, now 68, was serving a life sentence for nonviolent drug-related offenses. After working with the Trump administration, Johnson was granted clemency in 2018 and eventually pardoned in 2020.
With reporting by Sarah Jones
