Ivanka Trump towers over close friend Kim Kardashian in throwback photos for reality star's birthday



Ivanka Trump looks on during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Draw at Telemundo Studios on December 05, 2024 in Miami, Florida.  (Photo by Brennan Asplen/Getty Images)© Getty Images
Rebecca Lewis
Rebecca LewisLos Angeles correspondent
50 minutes ago

Ivanka Trump posted a rare Instagram Story on October 21, 2026 for a very special reason – the birthday of close friend Kim Kardashian.

Kim turned 46 on October 21, 2026 and Ivanka took to social media to wish her "only great things in the year ahead," posting two pictures from their friendship.

Ivanka Trump (R) and Kim Kardashian pose at Funke in Beverly Hills in 2023© Ivanka Trump
Ivanka (R) and Kim pose at Funke in Beverly Hills in 2023

The first was the pair sitting together in the East Room of the White House on June 13, 2019, attending an event on second-chance hiring and criminal justice reform. Kim has made reform a huge part of her philanthropy and worked with Ivanka on to pass the First Step Act during Donald Trump's first presidency.

"Happy happy birthday @kimkardashian," Ivanka wrote alongside the Story. "Wishing you only great things in the year ahead."

Screengrab of Story showing Ivanka Trump (R) and Kim Kardashian sit in the White House in 2019, the text reads: "Happy happy birthday @kimkardashian. Wishing you only great things in the year ahead."© Ivanka Trump
Ivanka (R) and Kim sit in the White House in 2019

The second picture was taken during Kim's 43rd birthday dinner at Funke restaurant in Beverly Hills in 2023 – and highlighted the pair's height difference.

Kim is known for her small stature, measuring 5' 2" and has previously joked about her own height, offering tips to appear taller, suggesting clear shows and cropped leggings both help. 

, on the other hand, is which, although it makes her almost a foot taller than Kim, makes her one of the shorter Trumps; is the shortest at 5' 8" and Eric the tallest at 6' 5".

Kim Kardashian (C), Ivanka Trump(R) and Jared Kushner listen as US President Donald Trump speaks about  second chance hiring and criminal justice reform in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, June 13, 2019. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)    © AFP via Getty Images
Kim (C) with Ivanka and Jared Kushner in 2019

Ivanka and Kim's friendship reportedly began around 2014 when they met at the Met Gala and bonded over motherhood, staying in touch casually over the years. However, when Ivanka's father Donald became President in 2017, Kim was, at the same time, using her burgeoning legal education to push through more criminal justice reform.

The mother of four was concerned about unjust long sentences handed down to first-time offenders and the disproportionate effect on ethnic minority communities, and in 2018, Ivanka facilitated a meeting with Kim and the President, which led to Alice Marie Johnson, a great-grandmother serving a life sentence without parole for a nonviolent drug offense, receiving a pardon.  

Kim Kardashian West and Alice Johnson on The Today Show on Wednesday June 13, 2018 © NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via
Kim and Alice Johnson on The Today Show on Wednesday June 13, 2018

In 2019 Kim reconnected with Ivanka at the White House, where Kim spoke about the First Step Act; the legislation would provide support for convicted women reentering the workforce, and Kim also announced a partnership with Lyft to provide ride-sharing gift cards for formerly incarcerated individuals traveling to job interviews.

But it wasn't until 2023 that the strength of their friendship became public, with Ivanka attending Kim's birthday dinner alongside family and Lauren Sanchez.

Lydia Kives, Lauren Sanchez, Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump with friend (middle) at Kim's 2023 birthday party
Lydia Kives, Lauren Sanchez, Kim and Ivanka Trump with friend (middle) at Kim's 2023 birthday party

"Loved celebrating you! HBD Kim,” she wrote at the time, with Kim sharing her own carousel of snaps with the caption: "So blessed to have hit the jackpot of friends!"

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