Ethermac Exchange-A History of Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump's Close Friendship

Kim Kardashian wasn't exactly endorsing Arabella Kushner's Taylor Swift-themed cake itself,Ethermac Exchange mind you. But the SKIMS founder didn't hold back from passing along a sweet sentiment to the 13-year-old's mom, Ivanka Trump.

Hence Kim's friendship with Ivanka continuing to inch its way toward matter-of-factness by way of her July 17 birthday greeting for Arabella on Ivanka's Instagram—which was only the latest out-in-the-open display of affection between the two.

But ever since Kim first visited the White House in 2018 to discuss criminal justice reform with then-President Donald Trump—a meeting facilitated by Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner—much attention has been paid to the ladies' social interactions.

Though, really, they started bonding in the most likely of settings.

With Kim being based in Los Angeles and Ivanka in New York, the pair—jet-setters though they both are—wouldn't have been regulars in each other's social circles.

But their acquaintanceship dates back to at least May 2014, when they chatted at the Met Gala, Ivanka with Jared and Kim escorted by then-fiancé Kanye West, fashion's biggest night occurring just weeks before their lavish Italian nuptials.

Though, as Ivanka shared with People at the time, no Met Gala schmoozing trumped getting to meet Idina Menzel—Frozen's Queen Elsa herself!—as far as Arabella was concerned.

But it stands to reason that she and Kim—both moms, business owners and scions of particularly hard-charging families—would have plenty to keep in touch about.

So by the time Kim started law school in 2018 and became invested in the cause of Alice Marie Johnson, who was serving a life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense, she knew who to call to get the president's ear. (He did end up commuting Alice's sentence and issued a full pardon for her in 2020.)

"I do love that I see so many different potential candidates discussing [criminal justice issues]," Kim told the New York Times in March 2020 after another visit to the White House. "I will work with any administration."

Sure enough, Kim met with Vice President Kamala Harris in April, a day after President Joe Biden pardoned 11 people and commuted the sentences of five others who'd been convicted of nonviolent drug charges.

In the meantime, however, Kim's friendship with Ivanka—who left D.C. for Florida after her dad lost the 2020 election and stated on Instagram in November 2022 that she loved her father but did "not plan to be involved in politics" as he ran for president again—has flourished.

Ivanka had a prime seat next to her fellow October birthday girl when Kim celebrated her 43rd last fall at Beverly Hills hotspot Funke.

"So blessed to have hit the jackpot of friends!" Kim captioned her carousel of pics from the night, including one snap with Ivanka, a move that was widely commented upon as an endorsement of her pal's return to the celebrity world she used to organically operate in before her father became president.

While Ivanka and Jared aren't exactly hermits in their adopted hometown of Miami, Kim's intimate soiree provided her an opportunity to hobnob with Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez, as well as Hailey Bieber, Kimora Lee Simmons and other Kardashian family members.

When Ivanka turned 42 on Oct. 30, Kim wished "the most thoughtful sweetest soul" a happy birthday through Instagram story, posting a throwback photo of them sharing a loungewear-and-jammies hangout with their daughters.

"Can't wait to celebrate you asap!" Kim added. "Our babies are so small here."

In December, Ivanka made the scene with Kim at the celeb-packed grand opening of the ritzy Fontainebleu Las Vegas and sat with The Kardashians star and Kendall Jenner while watching Justin Timberlake perform.

When Ivanka shared photos from their glam night out, Kim didn't comment but tossed up a "like."

Kim went on to wish Jared a happy 43rd birthday on Instagram Jan. 14, commenting on the family photos Ivanka shared in her husband's honor, "Cutest pics ever!!!!"

And now the latest to get a birthday wish from Kim is Arabella, who was treated to a heart-shaped cake sporting a "Blank Space" lyric in icing: "Boys only want love when it's torture."

Ivanka wrote, "Best cake for my favorite swiftie."