How does Taylor Swift keep up her Reputation? Pop princess's pals are embroiled in scandal - but star has clever strategy to protect squeaky clean image, expert says

Taylor Swift is a billionaire with one of the most successful tours in the world under her belt.

And on top of that, the Reputation singer manages to keep hers squeaky clean.

While the star has faced her fair share of criticism - and penned whole albums about how she's been publicly bashed by supporters and other A-listers alike - she appears to bounce-back with her loyal fanbase and stellar career in tact.

In recent months, Taylor appears to be on top of the world with her near-two-year Eras Tour finally complete; more loved up than ever with NFL star boyfriend Travis Kelce.

It's a stark contrast to the pop idol's close-knit friend circle, which has found itself in a web of controversies - and in some cases, steep downfalls from fame - over the months. 

This includes the popstar's bestie Blake Lively - who has frequently been spotted out and about with Taylor - and is currently embattled in a legal dispute with Justin Baldoni over the scandal-ridden It Ends With Us film.

Elsewhere, her longtime pal Jaime King has been caught up in a custody battle with estranged husband Kyle Newman - as a judge said the actress must have her visits with her sons supervised until she finishes a mandated drug/alcohol program that lasts around six months.

Her friendship with Brittany Mahomes has also been questioned after the wife of the Kansas Chiefs Quarterback appeared to like a post Donald Trump - when Taylor herself endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris for President.

The singer's connections to Karlie Kloss, Ice Spice and Lena Dunham have also been in the spotlight following their 'cancellations'.

Speaking to FEMAIL, media & PR expert Chad Teixeira suggested that Taylor has managed to 'master the art of storytelling, not just in her music but in her public persona'.

'She carefully controls her narrative, takes accountability when needed, and strategically chooses when to engage and when to stay silent,' he explained.

'Unlike many celebrities who react impulsively to scandals, Taylor often lets the dust settle before addressing anything directly, making her seem composed and in control. 

'Plus, she has built such deep emotional loyalty with her fanbase that they are quick to defend her...her reputation isn’t just hers; it’s theirs too.'

He also added that she 'without a doubt' helps amplify and affect the public dial of her friends' social standing by being pictured with them, or speaking about them publicly. 

'Taylor Swift is like the ultimate influencer before the term even existed,' Chad continued.

'If she’s seen supporting someone, it gives them an instant credibility boost. But the same works in reverse, If she distances herself, it sends a message.

'She has a unique ability to frame the narrative, whether through subtle lyrical references or who she’s seen with (or not seen with). While she doesn’t control how her friends behave, her endorsement, or lack thereof: definitely shapes public perception.'

He remarked that while it's not exactly 'fair', it's 'inevitable' that Taylor's own credibility can face scrutiny based on the actions of those around her.

'The reality is, when you’re one of the biggest stars on the planet, every association is scrutinised,' Chad explained.

'People love to either pedestal you or pull you down, and Taylor is no exception. That said, she’s been savvy about not letting the noise define her.

'She rarely gets dragged down by the scandals of those around her because she ensures her own actions align with the values she publicly upholds. And if there’s one thing Swifties love, it’s a well-crafted comeback.'

Here, FEMAIL looks at times Taylor's besties - past and present - found themselves in murky waters (while the star kept her head above surface)... 

Blake Lively

Blake Lively found herself caught up in one of Hollywood's biggest scandals last year, after starring in the film It Ends With Us with Justin Baldoni.

Lively previously filed a sexual harassment lawsuit in December against Baldoni, who also directed their hit romantic drama It Ends With Us.

Baldoni later followed up by launching a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, her publicist and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.

He also filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against the New York Times for its reporting on Lively's allegations. 

Both Lively and Baldoni have denied each others' claims, and the New York Times has denied Baldoni's accusations and requested that his lawsuit against the paper be dismissed. 

It has certainly shown in Taylor's relationship with Blake - and the singer's shock involvement in the highly publicised legal rollercoaster appears to have rocked the foundations of their decade-long friendship.

And the A-list pals are still struggling to move on from the fallout, with the Bad Blood singer no longer communicating with Lively, according to insiders.

DailyMail.com previously reported that she had taken a ‘step back’ from the Gossip Girl alum, but their close bond has deteriorated, with Taylor reportedly refusing an invitation to the SNL 50th anniversary special as Lively was on the guest list.

‘Taylor is not communicating with Blake,’ an insider said. ‘She was invited to SNL50, but with Blake there – and Kim Kardashian – it was the last place on earth she would be seen.’

The global frenzy around Lively has left Taylor questioning her close friendships and how she can prevent ‘external factors’ from damaging her own reputation.

‘Taylor is taking stock of which of her friends are good for her and who name drops her for personal gain after Blake-gate,’ a second insider added.

‘She has a new album in the works and is shocked by how much drama she was pulled into. She won’t let external factors hurt her career.’

The once best friends haven’t been pictured together for months. The last time was when both enjoyed a double date with their respective partners Ryan Reynolds and Travis Kelce in Manhattan in October.

Questions were raised in February when the actress failed to attend the Super Bowl with Taylor instead flanked by her collaborator Ice Spice, social media influencer Ashley Avignone and Haim sisters Alana, Este and Danielle.

Taylor was dragged into the explosive saga in January, when Baldoni countersued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for $400 million.

In his filing he claimed Lively, who accused Baldoni of sexual harassment in a lawsuit, used Swift to intimidate him at a meeting with Reynolds about edits she had made to a rooftop scene.

Baldoni claimed the Cruel Summer singer made him feel like he 'needed to comply with Blake's direction for the script'.

Lively later appeared to threaten Baldoni by comparing herself to Game of Thrones character Khaleesi in a series of text messages, included as exhibits to court papers, in which she referred to Reynolds and her best friend as her 'dragons'.

A source previously told DailyMail.com that the ‘uncool and unnecessary’ description was a shock for Taylor who had never planned to be at the meeting, but arrived at Lively's New York penthouse to find it was still ongoing.

'For the time being she is taking a step back from Blake because she doesn’t want to get tangled in this more than she already has – which is far more than she ever needed to be,’ an insider told DailyMail.com.

Khaleesi, also known as Daenerys Targaryen and Mother of Dragons, is one of the main characters in Game of Thrones, which aired between 2011 to 2019.

She was portrayed as a villain after descending into madness and turning to vengeance due to trauma and loss.

Baldoni also claimed in the suit that Lively leveraged her friendship with the Grammy-winner to get her way behind the scenes.

He claimed the actress threatened to 'change her mind' about reaching out to Swift to secure the use of her hit 2020 track My Tears Ricochet.

Taylor and Lively have been friends for a decade, with the pair celebrating milestones together and the singer even name dropping Lively’s children in her music.

She appeared to rally around the actress when rumours of rancour between her and Baldoni first started bubbling in August.

She was pictured arriving at Taylor's Rhode Island property, taking solace at the $17 million, eight bedroom estate alongside her husband Reynolds, to escape the frenzy.

Her past behaviour has come under increasing scrutiny in the months since.

She and husband Reynolds appeared to fuel the hostility towards them last month when he seemingly poked fun at his wife's allegations at the SNL50: The Anniversary Special.

'I have a question,’ he said, to which Tina Fey replied: 'Oh Ryan Reynolds, how's it going?'

In an apparent nod to the maelstrom of headlines, he responded: 'Great - why, what have you heard?'

The reaction from viewers was predictably brutal, with many accusing the Hollywood power couple of using their clout to claw back public favour after months of bad headlines.

Lively made headlines when she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment in a bombshell lawsuit last year. 

She alleged that Baldoni showed her explicit videos and photos of other women, openly discussed his struggles with pornography, and made inappropriate remarks about her appearance and weight. 

Lively also accused the former Jane The Virgin star of entering her trailer while she was nude, and letting his 'friends' watch her film intimate scenes, along with other activities that created a 'hostile work environment'. 

Baldoni claimed in court filings they made efforts to usurp and undermine his input as the director of It Ends with Us. 

The actor has denied the allegations, while Lively and Reynolds have denied the accusations made in litigation by him.

Last month, Lively also unleashed a new salvo in her ongoing legal back-and-forth with Baldoni by claiming that she was not the only woman he made uncomfortable on the set of It Ends With Us.

An amended version of her complaint filed late in New York federal court alleged that she has corroboration of her original claims, and a spokesperson for the actress claimed that 'other women confided in Blake about their discomfort,' according to People.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Baldoni's attorney Freedman said: 'Our clients have been transparent in providing receipts, real time documents and video showing a completely different story than what has been manipulated and cherry picked to the media. Our clients have taken this matter and these issues very seriously notwithstanding the jokes made publicly by the plaintiff and her husband. 

'Her underwhelming amended complaint is filled with unsubstantial hearsay of unnamed persons who are clearly no longer willing to come forward or publicly support her claims,' he continued. 'Since documents do not lie and people do, the upcoming depositions of those who initially supported Ms. Lively’s false claims and those who are witnesses to her own behavior will be enlightening. What is truly uncomfortable here is Ms. Lively’s lack of actual evidence.'

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Lively's attorneys Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb said her amended complaint against Baldoni 'provides significant additional evidence and corroboration of her original claims'.

They added that it 'includes previously undisclosed communications' Lively had with Sony Pictures, Baldoni's production company Wayfarer Studios and 'numerous other witnesses.'

The new version of the complaint reportedly includes an added defamation claim against Baldoni that was not part of the initial document, which was filed on New Year's Eve.

According to Hudson and Gottlieb, Lively is suing for defamation 'based on the repeated false statements the defendants have made about Ms. Lively since she filed her original complaint...'

She has also expanded her complaint to add Jed Wallace and his Texas-based crisis PR firm Street Relations, Inc., as a defendant. 

Wallace, who has denied playing any part in a smear campaign against the Gossip Girl star, previously filed a $7 million lawsuit against her in response to Lively's allegation in her initial complaint that his firm 'weaponized a digital army' against her on behalf of Baldoni. 

She had requested Wallace be deposed in her initial complaint, though he revealed in his subsequent lawsuit earlier in February that the request had been rescinded.

Lively's new filing alleges that others on the set of It Ends With Us can corroborate her claims. 

It claims that Baldoni and his co-defendants' 'false narrative crumbles under the indisputable truth' that the actress 'was not alone in complaining about Mr. Baldoni...'

The filing also tries to establish that she 'raised her concerns contemporaneously as they arose in 2023, not in connection with some imagined power play for control of the film in 2024.'

According to a spokesperson for Lively, the amended filing 'details the corroboration that backs up Blake’s original sexual harassment and retaliation concerns.'

They allege that the document proves that 'other women confided in Blake about their discomfort and fear of coming forward, and their concern about the current public vitriol.'

Despite the escalating legal battle between the two parties, there's no end in sight for Lively or Baldoni. 

In January, a judge scheduled a trial date for their lawsuits in March of 2026, and both parties have already decided to skip any attempt at mediation. 

Jaime King

The custody case between actress Jaime King - a longtime friend of Taylor's - and estranged husband Kyle Newman took another turn this month, as a judge made a bold order in the long-running legal affair. 

The judge awarded Newman, a 49-year-old director, sole physical custody of their two young sons James Knight, 11, and Leo Thames, nine, People reported after reviewing court docs on Monday.

The situation peripherally involves superstar singer Taylor - a stalwart confidante of King's who was named godmother to Leo in March of 2015.  

The two boys with live with Newman, who will have final say on legal custody while the pair will share custody on paper amid the contentious case. 

The judge said King, 45, must have her visits with her sons supervised until she finishes a mandated drug/alcohol program that lasts around six months. 

Dailymail.com had at the time reached out to Newman for comment on the latest developments. 

The people approved in the supervisory role included her mother, sister, brother-in-law, and Newman's brother Kevin, the outlet reported.  

King, who played the role of Heather Vandergeld in the 2004 comedy White Chicks, has made repeated visits to court over the past five years with her ex-husband to litigate custody concerns.

Most recently, King - who has also been seen in movies such as 2009's My Bloody Valentine and 2005's Sin City - filed with the court for an emergency request.

King filed the request to alter the agreement they made in terms of child and spousal support two years prior, People reported.

King 'lacks the ability to pay the support,' her attorneys said in legal docs, while Newman said King had 'been out of compliance' with the court's child and spousal support orders for well over a year.

Newman told the court that King would not 'sign a judgment' in their divorce agreement; and that she did not have the legal right to 'rescind' any of the court's orders, the outlet reported. 

The former couple initially wed in 2007 at the Los Angeles-based mansion Greystone Park and Manor. 

King in May of 2020 entered a court filing requesting a divorce to end the 13-year marital union.

King concurrently filed paperwork with the court requesting a emergency motion toward custody and visitation-related issues, the outlet reported, as well as a petition to prevent domestic violence.

Amid the custody row, King said in May of 2020 that Newman had put together an 'intervention' for her four months earlier after informing family and friends she was having substance abuse issues.

King in legal docs said she went a facility so she could be tested and cleared as drug-and-alcohol free. She said that days in, she had been sent home after passing a substance abuse test.

King is 'a chronic drug addict and alcoholic who refuses to acknowledge that she has a problem, let alone seek meaningful treatment for such problem,' Newman said in his legal filing at the time.

Newman told the court in a filing that 'several friends' informed him that she had used narcotics during both of her pregnancies. He added that doctors told him that their son Leo 'was also addicted due to her continued drug use.'

He said he 'was devastated' to learn at the same medical appointment 'that Leo Thames had a congenital heart defect and would need surgery to survive as soon as he was born.'

Newman said in his court filing that on occasion, King had driven 'under the influence' with their children in the vehicle, People reported. 

King became 'so intoxicated in front of them that they thought their mother was dying, and abandoning them for days at a time to get drunk and high instead of care for them.'

He added that 'at one point, Jaime left Leo Thames at his doctor's appointment with the nanny, only to be found over a half hour later at the liquor store across the street buying a bottle of alcohol.'

Taylor was involved when Thames had to undergo the surgery, as the Grammy-winner donated a generous sum of money to the Los Angeles-based hospital Cedars-Sinai, King revealed in an August 2016 Instagram post.

King said that Swift 'does so many selfless acts that go unnoticed because she does them silently, from such a great place of unconditional giving.'

King went into detail on her younger child's health woes, writing, 'Dear all- at 20 weeks our son was diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Arteries AKA TGA.'

King said that watching her youngest child undergo 'a major heart surgery ... was terrifying, and traumatic for us as parents, for our family.'

King, who did not allude to any of the accusations Newman has made in the social media post, said that she and her then-spouse had kept the details close to their vest amid the difficult timeframe.

'Only a few of our best friends knew. I felt that I had to protect him in fear of the unknown, fear he would not make it. We felt isolated & confused.'

King said that Swift - as 'the Godmother of Leo Thames - made an 'incredible donation to the people that saved his life' at Cedar-Sinai, specifically the Congenital Heart Surgery unit led by Dr. Alistair Phillips.

King said that the lesson she learned was her famed friend was that it was important to provide support and spread awareness toward people in similar circumstances.

'It made us realize that silence cannot connect other parents & people going through these issues,' said King. 'TS knew that by giving back in this way would be the greatest gift one could give to us, to Leo Thames and to all of those with congenital heart issues. 

'She came to the ICU to comfort us, to hold and bond with him with such grace & strength.'

Brittany Mahomes

Brittany Mahomes has bonded with Taylor over their shared WAG status. But while the pair have been spotted happily chatting away at Kansas City Chiefs games - and on double dates with their NFL beaus - Swifties have questioned whether there has been a rift over politics.

Brittany, who has been married to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes since 2022, sparked controversy in August, when she liked a post about Donald Trump, 78, on social media.

Weeks later, Taylor, 35, publicly endorsed Kamala Harris' bid for president - an action that drove a reported 338,000 visits to the federal voter registration website after she shared a link on Instagram. 

Trump hit back in predictably blistering style on his Truth Social platform, claiming 'I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT' - prompting Brittany, 29, to 'question' if she will continue to endorse his campaign.   

In the run up to the election, Brittany had liked multiple social media posts and comments supporting Trump and it didn't go unnoticed from Trump himself.

'I want to thank beautiful Brittany Mahomes for so strongly defending me, and the fact that MAGA is the greatest and most powerful Political Movement in the History of our now Failing Country,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social network ahead of his electoral victory over Kamala Harris in November.

In August, eagle-eyed users caught the soon-to-be mother of three liking a Trump post mapping out 16 of his policies to his 26.3million followers; ranging from topics on immigration to the economy.

The like has generated plenty of outrage among liberals on social media, and Brittany appeared to hit out at her critics.

'I mean honestly, to be a hater as an adult you have to have some deep rooted issues you refuse to heal from childhood,' she wrote on her Instagram Story. 

'There's no reason your brain is fully developed and you hate to see others doing well.'

Following the presidential debate on September 10, Taylor revealed in a lengthy Instagram post that she would be voting for Kamala in November. 

She did not attack or call out Trump personally but she signed her backing of Harris with: 'Childless Cat Lady.'

It is a reference to Trump's Vice President Sen. J.D. Vance, who said in a 2021 interview with Tucker Carlson that the U.S. is being run by Democrats, corporate oligarchs and 'a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.' 

Taylor also encouraged her millions of followers to do their research on the election and register to vote with a link she shared of vote.gov on her Instagram story sharing her grid post.

Hundreds of thousands of people – over 338,000 – clicked on the link from Swift's story.  

More than 11 million people liked the image Swift posted of herself with one of her three cats named after a fictional character, Benjamin Button.

Fans feared that Brittany's apparent endorsement of Trump's policies could lead to an awkward tension with fellow Chiefs WAG Taylor, who has publicly expressed disdain for Trump in the past.

And despite Taylor receiving backlash for being linked to the Mahomes, it appears she has still been beloved by her largely Democrat-supporting fanbase.

While the pair have since been seen together attending the US open with their partners, and were at Patrick's 29th birthday bash - Taylor was not pictured in the same suite as Brittany at several Chiefs games last season.

And while the pair went out the night before the Super Bowl - which ended with a loss for the Chiefs - they were not pictured together at the big event.

The event, which was attended by Trump as well, saw Taylor was cruelly booed by fans on the night.

Lena Dunham

The Bad Blood singer has enjoyed a friendship with Girls actress Lena Dunham for a decade.

The duo's sisterhood began online back in 2012 when Lena first tweeted about how important the songstress' music was to her.

Praising the artist, she wrote: 'Judging by how much she's helped me thus far, Taylor Swift is going to write the song that finally gets me comfortable with death.'

Later that year in October, after the release of Taylor's album Red, Lena took to Twitter once again as she penned: 'Update: @taylorswif3's album is triumphant. If she'd been here when I was in college I would have written papers on her, not Sylvia Plath'.

Overjoyed at her compliment, Taylor instantly replied as she raved about Lena's comedy series Girls. 

She replied: '@lenadunham, you made my day with that. I'm now going to sit in my dressing room reciting my fav @girlsHBO quotes.. Which is all of them.'

After Taylor decided to take the jump and followed Lena, it wasn't long before the director replied and the friendship began. 

The pair were seen cuddling up together at the Grammy's in 2013, at the time when Lena was dating Taylor's now producer Jack Antonoff.

In 2015, the star appeared in Taylor's Bad Blood video which saw the star recruit her famous pack of girlfriend's for her hit single with Kendrick Lamar. 

In 2021, Taylor had the honour of serving as one of Lena's bridesmaids at her wedding to husband Luis Felber at Soho's Union Club in London. 

Getting married after the COVID lockdown, Taylor was one of nine bridesmaids as Lena confessed she hadn't seen some of her friends in over a year due to the pandemic. 

She explained: 'I spent so much time during the pandemic talking to my girlfriends about our feelings over FaceTime, but a few of my best friends I haven't seen in over a year.

'And, you know, my girlfriends have had to deal with a lot of not-so-happy things with me in our adulthood, so to be able to celebrate something joyful and use it as an excuse to be together was very special.'

It's clear the pair have a special bond with one another, but Lena has often found herself in the spotlight, and not always for positive reasons.

In 2015, Lena was caught up in an anti-Semitism row after writing a controversial article comparing her Jewish boyfriend and her dog.

The then-28-year-old prompted the storm after writing a quiz in the March 30 edition of New Yorker magazine - asking readers if a number of statements referred to her dog or ex-boyfriend Jack Antonoff.

They included: 'He doesn't tip', 'he never brings his wallet anywhere' and 'he has hair all over his body, like most males who share his background'.

Lena, whose mother is Jewish, has been criticised by Twitter users, as well as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) - an organisation which fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry. 

Also among the 35 statements were 'my grandma Dottie loves him and says he's a 'good, good boy'' and 'bald men trigger a primal fear in him'.

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL national director, said: 'Some will certainly find Lena Dunham's stereotypes about cheap Jews offensive. Others will take issue with the very idea of comparing a dog and a Jewish boyfriend.

'While we understand that humor is its own special brand of expression and always try to give leeway to comedians, we wish that she had chosen another, less insensitive way to publicly reflect on her boyfriend's virtues and vices.

'We are surprised that the New Yorker chose to print it.'

In 2016, the creator and star of HBO's Girls made the controversial statement an episode of her podcast, Women of the Hour. 

Describing the experiences of loved ones who had had abortions and a visit she made to Texas Planned Parenthood, she commended the 'bravery' and 'self-knowledge' of women who have had abortions, adding that she has realized her need to put her own stigma surrounding the issue 'in the garbage.'

She concluded by saying: 'Now I can say that I still haven't had an abortion, but I wish I had.'

Her comments were widely condemned by women who had had terminations, who branded them 'sickening'.

After initially remaining silent in the face of their criticism, she later issued an apology on Instagram, and said she has made a 'sizeable donation' to Abortion Funds, which helps women pay for terminations.

She shared a picture of the the word 'choice' written in white chalk on a blackboard on the social networking site, together with a long apology for what she described as a 'distasteful joke'.

'My latest podcast episode was meant to tell a multifaceted story about reproductive choice in America, to explain the many reasons women do or don't choose to have children and what bodily autonomy really means,' she wrote. 

'I'm so proud of the medley of voices in the episode. I truly hope a distasteful joke on my part won't diminish the amazing work of all the women who participated.'

She went on to say she had adopted a 'delusional girl' persona, but had not intended to 'trivialize the emotional and physical challenges of terminating a pregnancy'. 

Ice Spice

While Ice Spice has become one of Taylor's go-to besties at major events, with everything from awards shows to the Super Bowl, after the pair collaborated on a remix of the song Karma together - the young rapper has faced her fair share of controversy.

While Taylor has also had her romantic relationship scrutinised by the public, Ice Spice, 25, found herself in the middle of heated love triangle drama last summer. 

Central Cee's ex-girlfriend Madeline Argy launched a scathing rant against the musician - for being seen with Ice Spice mere hours after they broke up.

The hitmaker, 26, and the influencer, 23, began dating in September 2022 but decided to part ways in 2023.

Ice Spice and Central Cee released their first single together this week, a track called Did It First where they explore the themes of an unfaithful relationship.

The pair also sparked dating rumours earlier this month when they were spotted driving around London together. 

In her TikTok video, Madeline claimed she and Central Cee were broken up mere hours before she saw him and Ice Spice together.

'Remember when he made me pay for my own birthday ticket to the zoo? At least  this year I got something better. That's why my friends turned up to my house in gorilla suits the day of my birthday because I had just woken up to a video of him with a big baddie in the club. They literally had to drag me out of my f*****g house.'

Madeline then claimed she had received a phone call from someone on Central Cee's team telling her things wern't as bad as it looked. 

She said: 'This man has since called me, emailed me. It wasn't that much of a surprise when I get a call from his team and it's a girl saying,'firstly I am a girl's girl.'

'His team is trying to convince me to have a conversation with him that he had no control over this. I'm trying to get the point across, it doesn't matter whether he had control or not. 

'Why was I told 12 hours before it happend? I'm going insane. All I'm seeing are comments going, why would she let her man act like this? I wasn't, no one told me.'

MailOnline contacted a representative of Central Cee for comment at the time.  

Karlie Kloss

Taylor has faced a flurry of criticism for not being political enough, and being linked to celebs perceived to be Republicans - but not quite as ardently as her ex supermodel pal, who is married into the Kushner family, known for its warm relations with Donald Trump.

Her brother in law is also wed to the First Daughter, Ivanka Trump. 

However, Victoria's Secret Angel Karlie has made it clear that she doesn't support her in-laws' views, and the same seems to be the case for Joshua.

In 2019, she admitted that it's been 'hard' to navigate the dissonance.

Speaking to British Vogue, she added: 'But I choose to focus on the values that I share with my husband, and those are the same liberal values that I was raised with and that have guided me throughout my life.'

Just two years prior, her husband has voiced similar sentiments on 'liberal values' which have 'guided his life'.

'I have supported political leaders that share similar values,' he told Forbes in an interview.

'But neither political party has a monopoly on the truth or on constructive ideas for our country. It's important to be open minded and learn from differing opinions.'

Things appeared to come to a boil after Karlie criticised Trump supporters following the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, in 2021 and insinuated that she has tried to have political conversations with Jared and Ivanka. 

'Accepting the results of a legitimate democratic election is patriotic,' she posted on X. 'Refusing to do so and inciting violence is anti-American.'

The post immediately drew a rebuke from one of her followers on social media who wrote: 'Tell your sister-in-law and brother-in-law,' to which Karlie responded: 'I've tried.' This was later deleted. 

And in March last year, despite both couples attending the opulent wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and his bride-to-be Radhika Merchant, there were no pictures of the whole Kushner clan together.

It is also hard to ignore that Karlie has been a passionate campaigner for pro-choice policies - while Ivanka, in 2020, a few years before the Roe v Wade overturning, explicitly stated she is 'unapologetically' pro-life.

A few months before the election which saw Trump re-elected into the White House, Karlie penned an emotive op-ed for the Miami Herald, where she hit out at Florida's 'new draconian deadline banning abortion after six weeks'.

In it, she recounted her experience in visiting an abortion clinic, slamming the government's axing of abortion access federally in June 2022.

'I've been engaged with this issue since I was a teenager. Growing up, I trained as a clinic escort at the Planned Parenthood near my hometown in St. Louis, MO,' she wrote.

'Years later, I became involved with Abortion Bridge Collaborative Fund, which funds independent abortion clinics and organizations that support them, and dozens of other clinics like CHOICES in Carbondale, IL.

'When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, eliminating the long-held federal right to abortion, I launched an organization called Gateway Coalition to direct funding to various Midwest groups to provide accessible abortion care. I've visited many abortion clinics, met with countless patients and the incredible doctors serving them, but I was still deeply moved and surprised by what I saw that day.'

Karlie was tirelessly urging her social media followers to vote before the election last November, penning captions focusing specifically on the abortion ban. 

On Instagram, she penned: 'Every single vote matters in this election & in the fight for reproductive rights. Protecting and restoring reproductive freedom means showing up for all of the races and props on the ballot.

'The policies that shape our everyday lives—our schools, healthcare, and rights—are impacted by local races where school boards, state legislatures, and judges quietly hold enormous power.

'Doing the research on down-ballot candidates and propositions can feel overwhelming, but it's worth it when you get to the voting booth. Check out endorsements from organizations that align with your priorities. ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Reproductive Freedom for All, The States Project, and Vote 411 all have resources highlighting where candidates stand. You can also find voter guides put together by local organizations you trust, and check your ballot return deadlines through When We All Vote.'

In contrast - in 2020 - Ivanka confirmed that she is 'pro-life, and unapologetically' in an interview. 

Elsewhere, tensions between the two couples were made clear after Karlie made an appearance on Project Runway.

A contestant made a seemingly snide remark about her husband Josh's family that had people audibly gasping in the studio. 

The awkward moment came when Tyler Neasloney was being critiqued for his design, after he and the show's other contestants were asked to create a look for Karlie to wear to a CFDA event in Paris using only donated clothing from a local Goodwill store. 

When Karlie asked him to explain the ruffled top and pencil skirt that he designed, he said he was 'going for a very traditional like Montauk, Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod, Americana vibe.'

While Tyler was proud that he made the look using only four pairs of pants, the judges were less impressed.  

'It's definitely wearable in some place that is neither Paris nor Montauk or Martha's Vineyard,' said designer and judge Brandon Maxwell. 'I cannot see Karlie wearing it anywhere, honestly.'

'Not even to dinner with the Kushners?' Tyler hit back with a smile. 

Karlie was rendered speechless and her jaw dropped open before she tilted her head and gave him a pointed look.  

Tyler's fellow contestants were stunned, and some audibly gasped when they heard the controversial quip. He quickly realised the line had landed flat and tried to make light of it, adding: 'That's your husband.' 

Karlie ignored his comments about her husband's family and, instead, focused on the aspiring designer's failed look. 

At the end of the episode, the host announced that she and the other judges had voted to send Tyler home. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, which she has done with all of the eliminated contestants so far, and said: 'Thank you for being here.' 

'Karlie, I want you to know that I'm not a jerk,' he told her. 'I'm professional, so what I said earlier had no hidden agenda, no meaning, nothing like that.' 

The model gave Tyler a smile and thanked him for his apology.