How glitzy Mar-a-Lago New Year’s party reveals who REALLY holds the power with Trump
President-elect Donald Trump’s lavish New Year’s Eve party gave a hint as to who really has the power in Trumpworld as he is set to take over Washington again in 20 days.
Trump already sided with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy on the issue of H1-B visas for MAGA mainstays including Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer.
But he doubled down on that statement by keeping Musk by his side all night.
Musk was given a better position in the ballroom next to Trump than newly elected Vice President JD Vance, who, together with his wife Usha, was the first of the VIPs to walk the red carpet at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday evening.
Shortly after the Vances walked past the row of cameras, Elon strolled in, with his son X on his shoulders and his mother Maye nearby.
Melania Trump appeared ready to resume her role as first lady as she stood comfortably next to the president-elect on the red carpet and in the ballroom.
She looked statuesque in a black ball gown and even answered a reporter’s question.
Bannon – whose ‘Breitbart embassy’ used to host packed house parties – was not present.
A well-known source said not to read too much into that.
Elon Musk and his son
Former and future first lady Melania Trump (right) stood by her husband’s side as he spoke to reporters Tuesday evening and again in the ballroom
“Steve is spending Christmas and New Years with family out west – he’s never been to Mar-a-Lago NYE,” the source told DailyMail.com.
‘Those who know him know that he doesn’t party. He was not present at one party during the 2017 opening festivities. He’s not a party man. His focus is on the work.’
Loomer, who lives in Florida and has appeared at other Trump events across the bridge at the Palm Beach Convention Center, also did not appear to be there.
She did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s question about whether she had been rejected, although she continued to post about her clash with Musk on X Wednesday, which resulted in her account on the social media platform being restricted.
“I didn’t realize that when I traveled across the country working 20 hours a day to help Trump get elected, I would end up with a co-presidency with tech billionaires who have so much contempt for the MAGA base,” Loomer wrote Wednesday morning. . “Sad to see so many people who fought for him go unverified. Disappointed.’
Among Trump’s famous family members, one was conspicuously missing: daughter Ivanka.
While she and her husband Jared Kushner moved to Washington to work in the first administration, Ivanka largely stayed away from the political fray heading into Trump 2.0.
Laura Loomer, a conspiracy theorist and key Trump ally, was not at the party and continued to rage against Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy during posts on X on New Year’s Day
Vice President-elect JD Vance (left) and Usha Vance (right) were the first of the VIPs to enter Mar-a-Lago during Tuesday night’s New Year’s Eve party — although Elon got prime seats
Elon Musk (center) walked the red carpet with toddler X on his shoulders and next to his mother Maye (back left)
Donald Trump Jr. debuted his new girlfriend, Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson, on the Mar-a-Lago red carpet, spinning her past waiting TV news cameras
Vice President-elect JD Vance (right) and his wife Usha (center) pose for a photo with another Mar-a-Lago guest at Tuesday night’s New Year’s Eve party
President-elect Donald Trump (left) and former and future first lady Melania Trump (right) react to one of the performances during Tuesday evening’s New Year’s Eve party
Trump gave a short speech to partygoers at Mar-a-Lago as the party got underway
She appeared with her father on election night at Mar-a-Lago.
Before Christmas, she, Kushner and the couple’s three children went on a beach vacation.
Barron Trump was also absent from the Mar-a-Lago red carpet on Tuesday evening.
Trump has credited Barron with his decision to pivot to certain podcasts during his 2024 run, making him more appealing to Gen-Z voters, especially young men.
Donald Trump Jr. turned heads Tuesday when he debuted his new girlfriend, Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson, after calling off his engagement to Kimberly Guilfoyle, who the president-elect is sending to Athens to become the next U.S. ambassador to Greece.
Anderson did not post any photos of himself and Trump Jr. at the party, though she coyly tagged her dress and jewelry in a post.
Lara Trump was also the center of attention after walking the red carpet with Eric, when she took to the stage and sang her rendition of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”
Lara recently withdrew from the race for the U.S. Senate seat in Florida that would be vacated by Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump picked as his first secretary of state.
Lara Trump, who served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee during the 2024 race, stood on stage and sang Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”
The president-elect’s ex-wife Marla Maples (left) was at the party with her daughter Tiffany Trump (right), who is expecting her first child
Tiffany Trump walked into the party with husband Michael Boulos — and showed off a growing baby bump, as the couple announced she was expecting in October.
Tiffany’s mother, Trump’s second wife Marla Maples, was also invited to spend New Year’s with the Trump clan.
“Welcome 2025, shine bright,” Maples posted to her Instagram Story as she cackled at the camera with her daughter.
Several top members of Trump’s new administration were in attendance, including Rep. Mike Waltz, who will serve as his national security adviser, Alina Habba, who is expected to become his adviser to the president, and Linda McMahon, his future Secretary of Education.
Roger Stone, one of Trump’s original political advisers, also attended the party.
Members of Congress included GOP Reps. Tom Emmer, Jason Smith and Guy Reschenthaler.
Emmer and Trump had a problem before, but they resolved it early last year, before the elections.
The same goes for Trump and Senator Ted Cruz, who was also at the party.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who was a primary rival to Trump in 2016 but has since become an ally, is photographed arriving at Mar-a-Lago. His wife Heidi was not far behind
Ginger Gaetz, the wife of former Rep. Matt Gaetz, posted a photo suggesting the couple was at Mar-a-Lago but did not walk the red carpet. She later posted something suggesting she was watching the New Year’s Eve festivities on TV
They were political opponents of the 2016 Republican nomination, with Trump even insulting the appearance of Cruz’s wife Heidi.
Heidi Cruz stood at the senator’s side on Tuesday evening.
While House Speaker Mike Johnson was not physically present, Trump doubled down on his support for the Louisiana Republican when he spoke to reporters.
‘He’s the one who can win now. People like him, almost everyone likes him, others are also very good, but there are 30 to 40 people they don’t like, Trump said.
“He’s a great person and that’s what you need,” the president-elect added.
Ginger Gaetz, the wife of former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, posted a photo Tuesday evening that seemed to suggest the couple was in attendance.
“A New Year’s Eve at Mar a Lago is something you will never forget,” she wrote.
But they didn’t walk the red carpet in front of the TV cameras and Ginger later admitted that she was watching the New Year’s Eve programs on TV.
She did not respond to a request for comment on the post.
The former congressman’s wife posted a new photo of the couple on the beach on New Year’s Day, with an ex-lawmaker wearing an “Air Force One” hat.
Gaetz resigned from Congress after Trump named him his top choice for attorney general, but he dropped out of the confirmation process when the president-elect told him there were no votes.
He was the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation, which found that he paid women he slept with, including an underage girl, and used illegal drugs while he was a member of the House of Representatives.