Meghan McCain is not a fan of the Met Gala.
“I think the Met ball is tone deaf given the times of extreme political populism we’re living in,” McCain, 41, wrote via X on Monday, May 4, the same day as the 2026 fundraiser. “The concept is creepy and the outfits look like villains in The Hunger Games.”
McCain also threw shade at congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for attending the event in 2021. (Ocasio-Cortez famously wore a white gown with the phrase “Tax the Rich” emblazoned in red.)
“AOC will always be a moron for having attended,” McCain wrote.
Several social media users called out McCain for slamming the Met Gala but not speaking out against the many events President Donald Trump has hosted while in office.
“Nothing to say about the tone deaf lavish soirées at Mar-a-Lago, hey?” one person replied while another responded, “Some one is a cry baby because she was not invited. Trump demanding a ball room funded by tax payers is more Marie Antoinette than the Met Ball.”
Days before, McCain praised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for opting to not attend the event despite his predecessors having traditionally made appearances.
“You gotta give credit where credit is due – it’s a smart political move for Mamdani not to attend the Met Gala despite the long tradition of the NYC Mayor going,” McCain tweeted on Saturday, May 2.
The Met Gala is the annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. It is held every year on the first Monday in May. Over the years, it has become known for its iconic red carpet, where celebrity attendees rock avant-garde looks set to a specific theme that coincides with the opening of Institute’s newest fashion exhibition. Anna Wintour has organized the event since 1995.
This isn’t the first time McCain — who has never attended the event — has shared her opinions on the Met Gala. In 2021, McCain slammed the event for its hefty price, which has been reported as upwards of $35,000 for an individual ticket while a table can cost more than $200,000.
“Am I allowed to not care about the Met Gala?” she wrote via X at the time. “I love fashion as much as the next woman but [it] would have been pretty amazing if all those celebrities took the 35K it costs for a table and donated it to essential workers and food banks in the country. The time of excess seems dated.”
