The irony of Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump’s friendship

Cockburn was amused by the recent spectacle of Kim Kardashian’s law school triumph (after three “baby bar” exams and a grueling 5,184 hours of study) and the subsequent Instagram gushing from her BFF Ivanka Trump. “My favorite law school graduate!” the First Daughter cooed, cementing what must surely rank among Washington’s most peculiar alliances.

This improbable friendship between America’s reality TV queen and Trump has flourished over a decade, evolving from perfunctory Met Gala pleasantries to intimate three-hour lunches at the Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge. The pair reportedly bond over “motherhood” and “shared experiences” – Cockburn assumes the shared experience of juggling billion-dollar empires while tolerating men with problematic Twitter feeds.

Their political dalliance began in 2018 when Kim successfully bent the presidential ear to commute Alice Marie Johnson’s life sentence. The White House visits that followed – orchestrated by Ivanka and her husband Jared – bestowed upon Kardashian the gravitas she has long craved. No longer merely famous for… but a serious criminal-justice crusader with direct West Wing access.

For Ivanka, Kim is the gilded bridge back to celebrity circles that had declared her persona non grata during her father’s first administration. At Kardashian’s 43rd birthday soiree, Ivanka enjoyed the place of honor beside the birthday girl. When the inevitable backlash ensued, Kim stood firm, and the pair have been spotted in cozy congress numerous times since.

The irony is glaring: the woman who constructed an empire on naked selfies now longs for Beltway respectability, while the daughter who once styled herself as the enlightened conscience of Trumpism basks contentedly in the glow of Kardashian’s Instagram fame. Kim reportedly hopes Ivanka might play matchmaker with some “power player” in DC, having apparently exhausted the dating possibilities among rappers, athletes and comedians.

Their public displays of affection – Kim’s effusive “no one sweeter than you” birthday tribute to Ivanka mere days before the election – raised eyebrows in certain quarters. While Kardashian maintained strategic ambiguity regarding her ballot box intentions, the message seemed transparent enough.

Cockburn wonders what role Kim might secure in the new administration. Special Advisor on Prison Reform? Ambassador to Armenia? The possibilities are as endless as they are terrifying.