The E-4B "Nightwatch" is also known as the "doomsday plane."
Justin Oakes/US Air Force
The E-4B "Nightwatch" is nicknamed the "doomsday plane" because it can survive a nuclear attack.
In the event of nuclear war, it would serve as the US military's command and control center.
It is the US Air Force's most expensive plane to operate, at $159,529 per hour.
Air Force One is known as the "flying Oval Office," but there's another lesser-known presidential plane that can operate as a "flying war room": the E-4B "Nightwatch."
Nicknamed the "doomsday plane" for its ability to survive a nuclear blast, the E-4B is designed to protect the president and other senior officials and function as a military command center in worst-case scenarios. It also transports the Secretary of Defense on international trips.
Many of the E-4B's features are classified, but the US Air Force has shared some glimpses into its capabilities. Take a look inside the top-secret aircraft.
The E-4B "Nightwatch" is a militarized version of a Boeing 747-200.
A US Air Force E-4B "Nightwatch" plane.
Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The US Air Force's fleet of four E-4Bs comprises the National Airborne Operations Center at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.
It costs $159,529 per hour to operate, making it the Air Force's most expensive plane.
An E-4B at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Skovo
Each E-4B costs $223.2 million to build, according to the US Air Force.
A standard crew consists of 60 people with 15 different specialties.
An E-4B simulator training mission.
US Strategic Command
In 2022, the Air Force debuted a $9.5 million E-4B simulator to train pilots, flight engineers, and other crew members to operate the aircraft, according to the US Strategic Command.
The E-4B can refuel while in flight, allowing it to fly for several days at a time.
An E-4B can refuel in flight.
US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Codie Trimble
The E-4B can fly for 12 hours straight without refueling.
Its communications technology is kept in a bulge on top of the plane called the ray dome.
An E-4B aircraft on the tarmac at Travis Air Force Base, California, September 11, 2017.
US Air Force/Louis Briscese
The E-4B possesses more communications capabilities than Air Force One with around 67 satellite dishes and antennas in the ray dome.
The plane's exterior also features thermal and nuclear shielding, and its electrical system can withstand electromagnetic pulses.
The plane's main deck features six functional areas.
Then-Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper met with reporters on board an E-4B in 2019.
DoD photo by US Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith
The layout includes a command room, conference room, briefing room, operations team work area, communications room, and a rest area, according to the US Air Force.
The plane can seat up to 112 people.
In the briefing room, officials update members of the press and conduct meetings with staff.
Then-Secretary of Defense Ash Carter met with members of the press while traveling to Europe in 2015.
Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz/US Secretary of Defense
The E-4B isn't just a "doomsday plane." The Secretary of Defense occasionally uses it to travel overseas and hold press briefings.
Located in the center of the plane, the battle staff room is where officers would gather to strategize in a national emergency.
The battle staff room on board an E-4B.
Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo/US Secretary of Defense
In the event of a nuclear attack or other apocalyptic scenario, the president, secretary of defense, and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would use the plane as a secure command and control center similar to the Pentagon.
The rest area has 18 crew bunks, while the Secretary of Defense occupies private quarters on international trips.
The private quarters on the E-4B.
Lance Cheung/US Air Force photo
The Secretary of Defense's private quarters are furnished with a bunk and a desk with chairs.
The E-4B is staffed and on alert 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
E-4B crew members carry out simulated alert missions.
US Air Force photo by Lance Cheung
At least one E-4B has been on continuous alert since 1975, ready to deploy at a moment's notice.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
Ken Cedeno/REUTERS
First lady Melania Trump is keeping a low profile during President Donald Trump's second term.
An infrequent White House presence, she divides her time between homes in Florida, New York, and DC.
Her latest appearances included the "TAKE IT DOWN" Act signing and an event for military mothers.
It's a refrain dating back to the first Trump White House: Where's Melania?
First lady Melania Trump, who remained an enigmatic figure during President Donald Trump's first term, has kept an even lower profile during his second.
Ahead of the inauguration, Melania Trump told Fox News that she planned to divide her time between the White House, Trump Tower in New York City, and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
This schedule has made her an infrequent White House presence, averaging one to three appearances at public events each month.
Melania Trump's communications director, Nicholas Clemens, declined to comment.
Take a look at the first lady's White House activities and appearances thus far.
January 20: Melania Trump attended the inauguration.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at an inaugural ball.
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Melania Trump held the Bible as Donald Trump was sworn in for his second non-consecutive term, and the couple danced together at several inaugural balls later that evening.
For the swearing-in ceremony, Melania Trump wore a navy coat and skirt by Adam Lippes, an American designer. She accessorized with a matching wide-brimmed hat by Eric Javits.
January 21: The president and first lady joined Vice President JD Vance and Usha Vance at the National Day of Prayer Service.
Donald Trump, Melania Trump, JD Vance, and Usha Vance at the National Day of Prayer Service.
Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS
The service, the last of Donald Trump's inaugural events, was held at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC.
January 24: Melania Trump and Donald Trump visited California and North Carolina to survey damage caused by natural disasters.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at a briefing on wildfire damage in Los Angeles.
Leah Millis/REUTERS
Melania Trump joined Donald Trump to visit Los Angeles in the aftermath of multiple wildfires and neighborhoods in North Carolina damaged by Hurricane Helene.
Together, they met with first responders and residents who had lost their homes and businesses. Melania Trump was photographed hugging and shaking hands with those affected by the natural disasters.
February 22: Donald Trump and Melania Trump hosted the National Governors Association dinner at the White House.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the National Governors Association dinner at the White House.
ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images
Melania Trump wore a black Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo, similar to the outfit she chose for her official White House portrait, while posing for photos with governors from across the US.
Donald Trump thanked Melania Trump in his speech, saying that she "made the evening beautiful."
March 3: She participated in a roundtable discussion on the "TAKE IT DOWN" Act targeting revenge porn.
Melania Trump (center) at a roundtable discussion on the Take It Down Act.
Kent Nishimura/REUTERS
"TAKE IT DOWN" is an acronym for "Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks."
The act criminalizes the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes, and requires websites to remove them.
"Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm," Melania Trump said in her opening remarks.
March 4: Melania Trump attended Donald Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress.
Melania Trump at Donald Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress.
Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS
The first lady's guests included the families of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who was fatally shot during an assassination attempt against Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, and Laken Riley, who was killed by a man who had entered the US illegally.
April 1: She attended the International Women of Courage Awards.
Melania Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the International Women of Courage Awards.
Nathan Howard/REUTERS
Melania Trump, joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, presented awards to several notable women in a ceremony held at the State Department.
"These extraordinary women illuminate the transformative power of love in shaping our world," she said in her remarks at the event. "Their journeys remind us that true courage is born from a deep commitment to others, showing that love fuels the call for justice."
April 21: She appeared alongside Donald Trump at the White House Easter Egg Roll.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the White House Easter Egg Roll.
Ken Cedeno/REUTERS
Melania Trump read the book "Bunny with a Big Heart" to a group of children at the event.
April 25: Donald Trump and Melania Trump departed the White House together to travel to Pope Francis' funeral.
Donald Trump spoke to members of the media next to first lady Melania Trump.
Leah Millis/REUTERS
The president and first lady were among several world leaders who attended the late pope's funeral in Vatican City.
May 8: She hosted an event for military mothers and unveiled a US postage stamp honoring Barbara Bush at the White House.
Melania Trump in the East Room of the White House.
Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS
"I applaud Mrs. Bush's mark defending our society's vital need for women across all avenues, whether CEO or homemaker," Melania Trump said at the unveiling. "We have, can, and will build better families and run innovative businesses at the same time, ultimately shaping a brighter future."
May 19: Melania Trump spoke at the signing ceremony for the "TAKE IT DOWN" Act in the Rose Garden.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the signing ceremony for the "TAKE IT DOWN" Act in the Rose Garden.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The bill, which was first presented to Congress in 2024 before Donald Trump took office, received widespread bipartisan support.
"Artificial intelligence and social media are the digital candy for the next generation: sweet, addictive, and engineered to have an impact on the cognitive development of our children," Melania Trump said in her remarks at the signing ceremony.
May 20: Melania Trump hosted a Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day event for children in the Kennedy Garden.
Melania Trump hosted a Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day event.
Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS
The first lady greeted the children of White House staffers as they participated in an arts-and-crafts activity.
"It is always special to see children's creativity and spirit on display, especially here at the White House where so many hardworking men and women support the success of our nation every day," she said in a White House statement.
May 21: She spoke at the Senate Spouses Luncheon held at the National Gallery of Art.
Melania Trump at the Senate Spouses Luncheon at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
@FLOTUS/X
Melania Trump, accompanied by Usha Vance, spoke about her Be Best platform, which focuses on children's well-being, and her Fostering the Future initiative, which supports children transitioning out of foster care.
"Together, we will uplift and empower our children, ensuring they have the support needed to thrive," the first lady wrote in a post on X. "Let's continue this vital mission and inspire a brighter future for all!"
Christopher Cuozzo is a custom suit designer based in Boston whose clients include Karoline Leavitt.
He shared his workwear and formalwear pet peeves, including improper buttoning of suits and tuxedos.
Cuozzo also said that wearing sneakers with suits is "extremely overdone."
What counts as a fashion faux pas can be subjective, but there are some style choices that suit designer Christopher Cuozzo just can't stand.
Cuozzo, a bespoke menswear and womenswear designer whose clients include White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, told Business Insider that fashion is an art form like any other. Inevitably, people express different tastes and preferences when it comes to their personal style.
"Everybody's going to have their opinion on how something should fit or how something should look, and that's the beauty of it," he said. "Nobody's necessarily right, and nobody's necessarily wrong."
That being said, Cuozzo does have certain pet peeves as a craftsman who cares deeply about how a suit is worn.
Here are five style mistakes he wishes people would stop making.
Christopher Cuozzo.
JD Prentice
Mistake #1: Buttoning the bottom of a 2-button jacket
If a jacket has two buttons, Cuozzo says only the top one should ever be buttoned. The bottom one should never be closed in order to maintain the proper fit and style etiquette.
"One of my pet peeves on a two-button jacket is seeing the bottom button buttoned," he told BI. "It's a massive faux pas. I can't stand that."
Mistake #2: Wearing an unbuttoned tuxedo
Tuxedos are about as formal as it gets. Wearing one unbuttoned sends mixed messages, especially at black-tie occasions such as weddings.
Adrien Brody demonstrated the proper way to wear a tuxedo at the 2025 Oscars.
Arturo Holmes/WireImage/Getty Images
Cuozzo urges grooms and others wearing tuxedos at weddings to walk down the aisle with the jacket buttoned to avoid looking too casual.
"It's the most formal day of your life. Please, button your tuxedo jacket," he said.
Mistake #3: Wearing a suit with an untucked shirt
Similar to an unbuttoned tuxedo, an untucked shirt undermines the formality of a suit, Cuozzo says.
"Your dress shirt is untucked, but you're wearing a suit β that's a complete oxymoron," he said. "That would drive me insane."
Mistake #4: Leaving stitching in the vents of a suit
Off-the-rack jackets typically come with the vents, or slits, stitched closed on the back or sides. Those vents are supposed to be opened after purchasing, but not everyone realizes that.
Meghan Markle forgot to remove stitches from the vent on her coat during a royal outing in 2018.
Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images
When Cuozzo makes a custom suit, he removes the stitches for the client to help them avoid this style misstep.
"We actually don't give the suit to a client unless it's open," he said. "If you go and you buy a suit off the rack, you'll see people wearing it with the vent still closed, and it just drives me bananas."
Mistake #5: Wearing sneakers with suits
Cuozzo told BI that pairing sneakers β especially high-top shoes like Jordans β with suits is "extremely overdone."
"The pant doesn't even fit the sneaker. The tongue is in the way. That is one of my biggest pet peeves," Cuozzo said of the suits-with-sneakers look. "And then, you'll see guys on the red carpet wearing sneakers with a tuxedo, and I'm just like, 'This has gone way too far.'"
At a red-carpet event, Robert Downey Jr. wore high-top sneakers with his suit, and Cillian Murphy left his tuxedo unbuttoned β both examples of style mistakes that Christopher Cuozzo recommends avoiding.
David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Cuozzo says that there are rare cases where he'd style a suit this way, such as a more casual suit with a drawstring closure worn with a white T-shirt and clean white sneakers. Otherwise, he says formalwear requires formal footwear to match.
"There's just these colliding philosophies where you're wearing a shirt and tie, which tells me you're all business, then I look down at your feet, and you're wearing Jordans. Like, what's going on here?" he said. "Are we going to a meeting, or are we going to a basketball game? You can't do both."
President Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden have been married for almost 50 years.
Joe had to propose five times before she said yes. They eventually married in 1977.Β
They have been at each other's sides through celebrations and challenges.
Over the course of their nearly 50-year marriage, former President Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden have been through a lot together.
They've celebrated triumphant victories such as Joe Biden's two terms as vice president and his 2020 presidential election win. They've also weathered devastating losses such as the death of their son, Beau Biden, and setbacks such as Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 election.
Joe Biden often refers to Jill Biden as "the love of my life and the life of my love." Here's a timeline of their love story.
1975: Joe Biden's brother introduced him to Jill Taylor Jacobs.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden in the early days of their relationship.
Office of United States Senator Joe Biden
Joe Biden was a 33-year-old US senator, and Jill Biden, whose maiden name is Jacobs, was a 24-year-old college senior. Both had been married before. Joe Biden's wife and daughter died in a car crash in 1972, leaving him a widower with two sons, and Jill Biden and her husband filed for divorce in her junior year.Β
"I was a senior, and I had been dating guys in jeans and clogs and T-shirts, he came to the door and he had a sport coat and loafers, and I thought, 'God, this is never going to work, not in a million years,'" Jill Biden told Vogue in 2016. "He was nine years older than I am! But we went out to see 'A Man and a Woman' at the movie theater in Philadelphia, and we really hit it off."
When she got home from the date, Jill Biden told Vogue, she called her mother and said, "Mom, I finally met a gentleman."
1977: The couple married after Joe Biden proposed five times.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a campaign event.
Getty Images
"I said, 'Not yet. Not yet. Not yet,'" Jill Biden told Vogue of Joe Biden's proposals. "Because by that time, of course, I had fallen in love with the boys, and I really felt that this marriage had to work. Because they had lost their mom, and I couldn't have them lose another mother. So I had to be 100 percent sure."
When she did eventually agree to marry him, they held their wedding ceremony at the United Nations chapel and a reception lunch at Sign of the Dove in New York City. They took sons Beau and Hunter on their honeymoon.
1981: The couple welcomed daughter Ashley.
Joe Biden with daughter Ashley Biden.
Bill Ballenberg/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images
In a video shown at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Jill Biden said that Ashley Biden's birth made the family "complete."
June 1987: When Joe Biden announced his candidacy for president, Jill Biden was by his side.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at an event announcing his presidential run.
Cynthia Johnson/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images
He announced his presidential run in Wilmington, Delaware.
September 1987: They presented a united front when he withdrew from the race.
Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race.
Arnie Sachs/CNP/Getty Images
His short-lived campaign had been enveloped in scandal, with allegations of plagiarizing his speeches and exaggerating his academic records from college and law school, The New York Times reported.
"'I made some mistakes,'' he said as he announced the end of his campaign.
The New York Times described Jill Biden's face as "a study in dejection." Jill Biden later wrote about controlling her emotions in her 2019 memoir, "Where The Light Enters."
"As a political spouse, I've found that my stoicism often serves me well," she wrote. "In 1988, when Joe's first presidential campaign started to look bleak, people were constantly looking for cracks in our team. We all felt scrutinized, but I refused to show weakness."
1988: Joe Biden had two brain aneurysms. The couple posed outside the hospital when he was discharged after the first of two operations.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at Walter Reed Army Medical Center after he was discharged.
Pam Price/AP
Joe Biden had a pulmonary embolism later that year as he recovered. In her book, Jill Biden writes about watching as "EMTs carried him down the steps of our house on a stretcher."
January 2007: Jill Biden earned her Ph.D. in education from the University of Delaware. At the graduation, Joe Biden handed Jill Biden her doctorate.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden on the campaign trail.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
She became Dr. Jill Biden.
July 2007: Joe Biden wrote about his love for Jill Biden in his memoir, "Promises to Keep."
Joe Biden released "Promises to Keep" in 2007.
Charles Dharapak/AP
"She gave me back my life," he wrote. "She made me start to think my family might be whole again."
2008: Barack Obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate, and the two families developed a close bond.
The Obamas and Bidens at a rally in Illinois.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images
The "bromance" between the two politicians went viral.
2009: Jill Biden held the family's Bible when her husband was sworn in as vice president.
Joe Biden was sworn in as vice president in 2009.
Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images
Joe Biden supported her career, too. She made history as the first known second lady to hold a full-time job, teaching English at Northern Virginia Community College.
"As second lady, she was teaching full time for eight years, 15 credits a semester," Joe Biden said in a video shown at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
February 2010: On Valentine's Day, Joe Biden surprised her with a tree swing marked with a commemorative plaque on the grounds of the vice president's residence.
The plaque on a tree on the grounds of the vice president's residence.
Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The plaque reads "Joe loves Jill. Valentine's Day 2010."
March 2010: They took diplomatic trips together, such as their visit to Israel.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden arrive in Israel.
BAZ RATNER/AFP via Getty Images
They took other trips together, such as attending the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
September 2012: Jill Biden elicited giggles when she told a crowd in New Hampshire, "I've seen Joe up close."
Jill Biden introduced Joe Biden at a campaign event in 2012.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
An ABC News camera panned to Joe Biden, who could be seen laughing good-naturedly at the unintended double entendre as the audience cheered.
"It's in my remarks, really," she said, before continuing with her speech amid chuckles from the crowd.
September 2012: At the Democratic National Convention, Jill Biden spoke about Joe Biden's support for her career and his strength in the face of loss.
Joe Biden embraces Jill Biden at the Democratic National Convention.
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
"After Joe was elected vice president, people started questioning whether I could keep teaching," she said. "Not Joe. He was there standing by my side saying 'Of course you should. It's who you are, Jill.'"
2013: When Obama won a second term, Jill Biden held the Bible again when Joe Biden was sworn in at the inauguration.
Jill Biden held the Bible during Joe Biden's 2013 inauguration as vice president.
Carolyn Kaster/AP
As they had in 2009, they danced together at more inaugural balls.
2015: Tragedy struck when their son Beau Biden died of brain cancer.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at their son Beau Biden's funeral.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool/Reuters
Still reeling from the loss, Joe Biden decided not to run for president in 2016.
2019: Jill Biden released her own book, "Where The Light Enters," in which she wrote about falling in love with Joe Biden.
Jill Biden's book.
Johnny Louis/Getty Images
"After the disappointment of my divorce, I never wanted to feel so out of control of my heart again," she wrote. "But in the months that Joe and I were dating, that desire ran up against a new reality: I was falling in love."
April 2019: When Joe Biden entered the 2020 presidential race, Jill Biden became an important voice in his campaign.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a campaign event in Philadelphia.
Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images
For the first time since 1981, she took a break from teaching to help him on the campaign trail.
December 2019: In an unusual campaign stop moment, Joe Biden nibbled on his wife's finger as she spoke to a crowd in Iowa.
Joe Biden bit Jill Biden's finger as she spoke at a campaign event.
Joshua Lott/Getty Images
Jill Biden was gesturing behind herself as she spoke, barely missing Joe Biden's face as he pretended to dodge. Joe Biden then leaned forward while her arm was outstretched and bit down on the tip of her index finger. She appeared to laugh it off.
Jill Biden later reposted a video on X of the hosts of "The View" discussing the moment, where Meghan McCain said, "I thought it was silly, and they clearly still love each other and are playful," and replied, "Guilty, we do still love each other!"
March 2020: Jill Biden fought off protesters, leading Joe Biden to joke, "I'm probably the only candidate running for president whose wife is my Secret Service."
Jill Biden fought off protestors that rushed the stage during a Super Tuesday election night party.
Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images
"Whoa, you don't screw around with a Philly girl, I'll tell you what," he said after the protesters were removed from the stage on Super Tuesday. "I thought I heard on the news on the way over that the committee in charge of Secret Service decided they have to start providing Secret Service for us. I think that's because they're afraid Jill's going to hurt someone. I tell you what man, I married way above my station."
August 2020: Jill Biden delivered a keynote speech at the DNC from the school classroom in Delaware where she used to teach English.
A screenshot from the livestream of the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Handout/DNCC via Getty Images
"Love makes us flexible and resilient," she said in the speech. "It allows us to become more than ourselves, together, and though it can't protect us from the sorrows of life, it gives us refuge, a home. How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole: with love and understanding and with small acts of kindness."
November 2020: Joe Biden won the presidential election, and called himself "Jill's husband" in his victory speech.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden waved to the crowds after his victory speech.
ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
"Jill's a mom β a military mom β and an educator," he said. "She has dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn't just what she does β it's who she is. For America's educators, this is a great day: You're going to have one of your own in the White House, and Jill is going to make a great first lady."
December 2020: After a Wall Street Journal op-ed urged her to drop her "Dr." title since she's not a medical doctor, Jill Biden remained proud of her doctorate, and Joe Biden backed her up.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden in an interview with Stephen Colbert.
"That was such a surprise," Jill Biden said of the op-ed. "It was really the tone of it. He called me 'kiddo,' and one of the things I'm most proud of is my doctorate. I mean, I've worked so hard for it. And Joe came when I defended my thesis."
"I got to hand her her doctorate on the stage at the University of Delaware," Joe Biden added.
Colbert jokingly asked if Joe Biden ever wanted to "get out a length of pool chain and go full corn pop" on people who criticize Jill Biden's academic achievements. As he began to answer, she interjected with "No! The answer is no!" Joe Biden then quipped, "I've been suppressing my Irishness for a long time."
January 2020: Jill Biden held the Biden family Bible for Joe Biden's inauguration as president of the United States.
Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.
Saul Loeb/Pool via REUTERS
The Biden family Bible dates back to 1893. He has used it for his swearing-in ceremonies as a US senator and as vice president.Β
April 2021: Joe Biden stopped to pick a dandelion for Jill Biden on the White House lawn as they boarded Marine One.
Joe Biden handed Jill Biden a flower on the White House Ellipse.
Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The then-president and first lady were traveling to Atlanta for a rally in Plains, Georgia, to meet with former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter.
As they were boarding Marine One on the White House Ellipse, Joe Biden bent down and picked a dandelion for his wife. Jill Biden stopped to accept the flower, and she held on to it as she boarded the helicopter.
December 2021: They welcomed a new German shepherd puppy, Commander.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden pet Commander.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The BidensΒ entered the White House with two German shepherds, Champ and Major. Champ passed away at the age of 13 in June 2021, and Major was rehomed due to behavioral issues.Β
The Bidens also adopted a cat, Willow, in January 2022.
Commander was moved out of the White House in October 2023 after numerous biting incidents.
February 2022: Jill Biden was spotted wearing a corsage from Joe Biden in a sweet Valentine's Day tradition.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden on Valentine's Day.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
While exiting Marine One on Valentine's Day, the then-first lady was photographed wearing a corsage of what appeared to be white gardenias, her favorite flower.
In anΒ interview with People magazine shortly after Joe Biden took office, Jill Biden shared that the corsages began as a Valentine's Day tradition, and that he had surprised her with a corsage of gardenias at the inauguration.
"I don't know when it started β a long, long time ago. I think it was for Valentine's Day," she said. "I love gardenias and so Joe would buy me a wrist corsage of gardenias. I wore it to school to teach!"
Joe Biden also shared a Valentine's Day message for his wife.
"You're the love of my life and the life of my love, Jilly. Happy Valentine's Day," he wrote on X.
May 2022: Jill Biden told Harper's Bazaar she and Joe Biden fight over text, or "fext," to avoid arguing in front of their Secret Service detail.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a White House reception.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Jill Biden, who appeared on the June-July cover of Harper's Bazaar, told the magazine that she and Joe Biden fight via text in what they call "fexting" to avoid arguing in front of their Secret Service detail β a method they've used since he served as vice president.
In one particularly heated exchange, Joe Biden reminded her that presidential communications like texts and emails are kept as part of a historical record of each presidency.
"Joe said, 'You realize that's going to go down in history. There will be a record of that,'" she told Harper's Bazaar. "I won't tell you what I called him that time."
While they did occasionally "fext," Jill Biden also spoke about supporting her husband's work during his presidency.
"I try to be a support for Joe because I don't know how many people are saying to him, 'That was great. That was brilliant.' I try to be that person for him," she said. "Some days, I see Joe and I'm just like, 'I don't know how you're doing it.' It's the pandemic and then it's the war and then it's the economy and then it's the gas prices. You feel like you're being slammed."
June 2022: They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden rode bikes in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The Bidens celebrated their anniversary at their beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. During their trip, Joe Biden fell off his bike but quickly got back up and chatted with reporters. A White House spokesperson said that the president did not require medical attention.
April 2023: Joe Biden announced he would run for reelection in 2024.
South Carolina Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a former state party chairman and Biden 2020 finance committee member, told Business Insider in 2022 that "Joe Biden wouldn't have run in '20 if Jill Biden had not wanted him to run and he won't run in '24 if Jill Biden doesn't want him to run."
June 2024: Jill Biden defended Joe Biden after his disastrous presidential debate against Donald Trump.
Jill Biden spoke after Joe Biden's first 2024 debate against Donald Trump.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
During the first presidential debate of 2024, Joe Biden spoke with a hoarse voice, offered convoluted answers, and appeared disoriented at times. His poor performance sparked panic among Democrats about whether he should stay in the race.
Jill Biden defended Joe Biden in the face of widespread criticism, telling Vogue that the Biden family "will not let those 90 minutes define the four years he's been president. We will continue to fight."
"When he gets knocked down, Joe gets back up, and that's what we're doing today," Jill Biden said at a New York City fundraiser the day after the debate.
Joe Biden also acknowledged that his age impacted his debate performance, but remained firm in his commitment to stay in the race.
"I know I'm not a young man, to state the obvious," he said during a rally the day after the debate. "I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done."
July 2024: Jill Biden expressed support for Joe Biden after he withdrew from the 2024 election.
"While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Biden wrote in a letter posted on social media.
On July 24, Jill Biden posted her first public statement since her husband's announcement.
"To those who never wavered, to those who refused to doubt, to those who always believed, my heart is full of gratitude," Jill Biden wrote in a statement on X. "Thank you for the trust you put in Joe β now it's time to put that trust in Kamala."
August 2024: Jill Biden and Joe Biden spoke about each other in their speeches at the Democratic National Convention.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The first night of the Democratic National Convention was dedicated to recognizing Joe Biden's legacy throughout his decades of public service.
"Joe and I have been together for almost 50 years, and still there are moments when I fall in love with him all over again," Jill said in her speech.
In his convention speech, Joe Biden said that his wife "still leaves me both breathless and speechless."
January 2025: They attended Trump's second inauguration together.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden greeted Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the White House.
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
The Bidens greeted Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the White House before heading to the inauguration, which was held in the Capitol Rotunda due to frigid temperatures.
May 2025: Joe Biden's office announced he had been diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden posed for a selfie with their cat, Willow.
Joe Biden via X/Handout via REUTERS
The cancer has metastasized to the former president's bones, Joe Biden's office said in a statement released on Sunday.
"While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management," the statement read. "The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians."
On Monday, Joe Biden posted a selfie on X of himself with Jill Biden and their cat, Willow, and thanked well-wishers for their support following his diagnosis.
"Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places," he wrote. "Thank you for lifting us up with love and support."
The Lake Express ferry crosses Lake Michigan in half the time it takes to drive.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I took the Lake Express ferry across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee to Muskegon, Michigan.
I booked the premier cabin tier for $279, but ended up driving home because I got so seasick.
I didn't get to enjoy perks like more spacious seating or table service that came with my ticket.
As I looked up at the ceiling of the Lake Express ferry, lying on the floor while cradling a barf bag, I realized I'd made a mistake.
I grew up boating on smaller lakes around Wisconsin, so I thought I'd be fine on my ferry ride from Milwaukee to Muskegon, Michigan. After all, I was cutting my travel time in half by crossing the lake instead of driving through four states.
I didn't anticipate that as the fifth-largest lake in the world, Lake Michigan's waves can be just as powerful as the open seas. I'd splurged on a premier cabin ticket, but felt so seasick that I wasn't able to enjoy the perks.
I did enjoy some parts of the journey despite my motion sickness, but I definitely came away from the experience knowing that I'm not cut out for cruises.
Follow along on my Lake Express ferry trip across Lake Michigan.
Lake Express did not respond to a request for comment.
The Lake Express ferry transports passengers across Lake Michigan between Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan, in half the time it takes to drive.
The Lake Express ferry's route between Milwaukee and Muskegon is shown on a dotted line.
Alexander Lukatskiy/Shutterstock
Instead of driving around the lake, which can take about 4 Β½ to five hours, the Lake Express ferry brings passengers and their cars across the water in about 2 Β½ hours.
An adult round-trip ticket starts at $199 for the classic cabin and $245 for the higher-tier premier cabin. To bring a vehicle along as well, round-trip tickets start at $236 on top of the passenger fees.
I paid a total of $279 for my round-trip premier ticket without a vehicle, including taxes and additional fees.
I arrived at the Milwaukee ferry terminal for my 6 a.m. trip to Muskegon, which was scheduled to arrive at 9:30 a.m. local time.
The Lake Express ferry terminal.
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Michigan's eastern time zone is an hour ahead of Wisconsin. Even though the trip only took 2 Β½ hours, the time difference meant we'd lose an hour on the way.
When I checked in at security, the guard handed me a motion-sickness pill. That was the first red flag.
Seasickness medication.
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I'd checked the National Weather Service's Great Lakes Portal and found that waves were expected to be around 1 foot high throughout the journey, which didn't sound that bad.
Receiving free motion-sickness medicine immediately upon checking in made me feel a bit concerned about how choppy the waters would actually be. I took the pill to be safe.
All passengers waited in the same area, regardless of cabin class.
The waiting area in the Lake Express ferry terminal.
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Unlike the Amtrak lounges available to first-class train passengers, there was no separate waiting area for those with premier cabin ferry tickets.
The waiting area featured free coffee for all passengers, a perk not usually offered on flights or trains.
Coffee at the Lake Express ferry terminal.
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There were also drinks, snacks, and souvenirs available for purchase.
When it was time to board, the lounge led straight out onto the dock.
The Lake Express ferry.
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An announcement told those traveling with cars to board first by driving their vehicles onto the ferry.
I was surprised by how spacious the classic cabin was compared to trains and planes that I've traveled on.
Inside the Lake Express ferry.
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The classic cabin was laid out in clusters of eight seats around two tables, with a few tables on the edges ending up with more space.
Screens around the ferry showed the route, weather, and live feed of the outside.
A screen showed the Lake Express ferry's route.
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The screens appeared in both cabins, showing our approximately 82-mile journey across Lake Michigan.
The concession stand was located at the front of the cabin for easy access to food and drinks.
Concessions on the Lake Express ferry.
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Next to the checkout counter, condiment packets and plastic utensils were available for passengers to grab for themselves.
There were even fake flower pots decorating the cabin.
Flower decorations on the Lake Express ferry.
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The faux flowers added a whimsical touch to the ferry ride.
The premier cabin featured even more space to spread out, with four to six seats to each table.
The premier cabin on the Lake Express ferry.
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The ferry wasn't very crowded on my trip, so I got an entire table with four seats to myself.
The cabin included a cart with more free coffee.
Coffee in the premier cabin.
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There was also a screen with a credit card reader to order additional concessions.
Unlike in the classic cabin, each table came with a menu to order food and drinks while seated instead of waiting in a line at the counter.
A menu on the Lake Express ferry.
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Breakfast burritos cost $10 while sandwiches and pizzas ranged from $11 to $12. There was also alcohol available for purchase, including local beers such as New Glarus Spotted Cow and Miller Lite.
Outlets seemed hard to come by in both the classic and premier cabins.
Outlets on the Lake Express ferry.
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Unlike newer plane and train models that have outlets at every seat, the Lake Express ferry only had outlets every few rows.
I enjoyed watching the sunrise on the lower deck as the crew prepared for our departure.
The lower deck of the Lake Express Ferry.
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Even while docked, the up-and-down movement of the ship on the water felt stronger than I'd anticipated. I hoped that once we started moving, the motion would feel smoother.
I explored the upper deck as the boat pulled out of the terminal, but it was too cold to stay outside for very long.
The upper deck.
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A factor that likely contributed to my impending seasickness was that it was too cold for me to sit outside on the deck in the fresh air.
In true Midwest spring fashion, it was 44 degrees on that early May morning. Strong winds over the open water made it feel even colder once we started moving. I got a little bit queasy from the sensation of the boat pitching up and down, but focusing on the horizon and feeling the wind against my face kept it from getting worse.
I lasted about half an hour outside before I got too cold and returned to the warmth of the premier cabin.
The waves felt even stronger as the trip progressed, and my seasickness became debilitating.
Seasickness aids.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The Lake Express crew was clearly well-trained and used to passengers becoming seasick. As soon as they saw me looking a little green, they provided me with ginger ale, ginger chews, saltines, anti-nausea wristbands, and sickness bags.
Even though I was having a rough time, I felt well taken care of.
On the bright side, the bathrooms were spacious and clean.
A bathroom on the Lake Express ferry.
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The bathroom looked similar to bathrooms I'd encountered on Amtrak, with a few additional touches like decorative tile and a trash can with a weighted lid to keep it closed as the boat rocked back and forth.
I'd been excited to enjoy the luxury of my premier seat. Instead, I spent most of the journey lying on the floor with a barf bag handy.
On the floor of the Lake Express ferry.
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The premier cabin where I'd booked my seat was located in the back of the ferry, where the motion of the boat was stronger. I couldn't last more than a few minutes there without feeling like I was going to throw up.
A crew member told me that lying on the floor in the middle of the boat would help me feel more like I was swinging in a hammock or rocking in a chair. It worked. Kind of.
I spent the next two hours regretting the money I'd spent on a seat I wasn't even using, for perks that I didn't feel well enough to enjoy.
Land ho! I felt better once I disembarked in Muskegon, but the nausea and dizziness lingered throughout the day.
Exiting the Lake Express ferry.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I managed to keep a few plain applesauce packets down around lunchtime, but had no appetite to eat anything else for the rest of the day.
In Muskegon, I spent the afternoon at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum with newfound respect for the conditions that sailors endured.
The USS Silversides submarine.
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The Lyft driver who drove me from the ferry terminal to the submarine museum was a US Navy veteran himself. He told me that enlisted sailors often got seasick, too, which made me feel less pathetic.
"Some people I served with were just lucky β didn't get seasick at all, ate all of their meals," he said. "And some walked around with buckets."
When it came time to return home, I couldn't bring myself to get back on the ferry. I rented a car and drove home instead.
My rental car at the airport in Muskegon.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
After a few hours of fresh air and fascinating World War II history, some of the color returned to my cheeks. However, I knew if I got back on the ferry, I would immediately feel awful again. The mere thought of being tossed around by the waves on the journey home made my stomach churn.
Unfortunately, since it was less than 24 hours before my return trip, my ferry ticket home wasn't refundable.
I shelled out $123.27 for a rental car from Muskegon's tiny airport and hit the road.
The drive from Muskegon to Milwaukee took about 4 Β½ hours, but it was worth it to me.
At a rest stop in Indiana.
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The route took me down the Michigan coast, across Indiana and Illinois, and back up into Wisconsin, totaling around 300 miles.
I returned my rental car in Milwaukee and resolved to appreciate Lake Michigan's beauty from its shores in the future.
On land, where I belong.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
About one in three people experience motion sickness, and genetics are a determining factor, according to a 2015 study published in the Oxford University Press' Human Molecular Genetics.
The simple truth is that some people get seasick and some don't, and I do. Even though I took motion sickness medicine ahead of the trip, it wasn't effective enough to quell my symptoms.
If you're one of those lucky people who doesn't get seasick, the Lake Express ferry is a great option to cut across Lake Michigan for a shorter, more scenic trip than driving.
If you're a landlubber like me, learn from my mistakes. Don't spring for the more expensive cabin. Check the weather and wave heights ahead of time. And keep your options open for your return trip in case you end up on the floor.
Alessia Giuliani/Catholic Press via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
The newest popemobile is a custom Mercedes-Benz G-class electric vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola KΓ€llenius personally delivered the car to Pope Francis in 2024.
It features a bulletproof glass canopy, an adjustable back seat for the pope, and white interiors.
The day before Pope Francis died, he took one last ride in his popemobile. Pope Leo XIV could be the next to use it.
The custom Mercedes-Benz G-class electric vehicle was designed to transport Francis around Vatican City emission-free as part of his commitment to environmental justice.
"With this popemobile, we are also sending out a clear call for electromobility and decarbonization," Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola KΓ€llenius said in a statement in December 2024, when he delivered the car to Pope Francis.
Mercedes-Benz has a long history of providing cars for the papacy, dating back to a NΓΌrburg 460 Pullman Saloon for Pope Pius XI in 1930.
Take a look at the most recent version of the popemobile.
Mercedes-Benz designed its first-ever electric popemobile for sustainable, emission-free travel in Vatican City.
Mercedes-Benz Ola KΓ€llenius with Pope Francis in Vatican City.
Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
The Mercedes-Benz CEO personally delivered the new popemobile to Francis in December. KΓ€llenius and other Mercedes-Benz employees who were involved in developing and producing the vehicle also received a private audience with the then-pope.
The vehicle took about one year to manufacture and cost an estimated $500,000.
The electric G-Class popemobile.
Alessia Giuliani/Catholic Press via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
The open-top G580 features four motors optimized for driving slowly through large crowds for public appearances.
The car's exterior and interior are furnished in white, the color traditionally worn by the pope.
The interior of the Mercedes-Benz popemobile.
Mercedes-Benz
The dashboard features a digital display.
The back of the popemobile features red carpeting and white seating for the pope and other passengers.
The back of the popemobile.
Mercedes-Benz
The pope's large seat in the center can be adjusted to different heights and swivels around.
The license plate reads SCV 1, which stands for "Stato della CittΓ del Vaticano" or "State of Vatican City."
The popemobile.
Victor LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
The car also flies the yellow and white flags of Vatican City.
On some trips, the popemobile includes a bulletproof glass canopy.
Pope Francis under the popemobile's bulletproof glass.
Victor LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
The sides of the popemobile remain open, allowing the pope to greet members of the public and offer blessings.
Francis rode in the popemobile on Easter Sunday, one day before he died.
Pope Francis on Easter Sunday.
Guglielmo Mangiapane/REUTERS
Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88.
Pope Leo XIV has not confirmed that he will continue to use the latest popemobile β he may choose another vehicle from the Vatican's extensive fleet.
The USS Silversides submarine sank 23 ships and earned 12 battle stars during World War II.
Visitors can tour the vessel at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan.
The submarine was the site of a successful emergency appendectomy in enemy waters in 1942.
Christmas Eve, 1942. The USS Silversides, a US Navy submarine, is surrounded by Japanese warships on a covert patrol in enemy-controlled waters. And George Platter's appendix is about to burst.
Platter, a crew member on the USS Silversides, will die if he doesn't get surgery immediately. When the commanding officer gives the order, crew members spring into action. They fashion surgical tools out of utensils from the galley. They find an ironing board to prop up Platter's feet since the table in the wardroom is too short to lay him flat. They submerge beneath the waves to create more stability for the operation, even though the submarine's batteries are only partially charged.
The pharmacist's mate, Thomas Moore, has never performed the surgery before. He keeps a medical textbook open next to him the whole time.
Platter wakes up during the surgery when the local anesthetic wears off, so they sedate him with ether. It leaks into the rest of the submarine and sedates some of the crew, as well.
After four hours, against all odds, the surgery is successful. Platter makes a full recovery and is back on watch six days later.
It's extraordinary stories like these that are preserved at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan. Visitors can climb aboard the historic submarine, which was awarded 12 battle stars for its service in World War II, and explore its battle stations, cramped bunks, and even the operating table where Platter received his appendectomy.
Take a look inside the USS Silversides.
Commissioned in 1941, the USS Silversides sank 23 ships over its 14 war patrols, making it one of the most successful American submarines from World War II.
The USS Silversides.
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The Gato-class submarine measures 312 feet long and weighs 2,410 tons while submerged. Its standard crew consisted of eight officers and 72 enlisted men.
After it was decommissioned in 1946, the USS Silversides was used as a teaching submarine and became a National Historic Landmark.
A plaque from the National Register of Historic Places on the USS Silversides.
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From 1947 to 1969, the USS Silversides was used as a training vessel for the Ninth Naval District in Chicago. It was then moved to the Naval Armory and Navy Pier before arriving in Muskegon to serve as a museum in 1987.
It was also used as a movie set for the 2002 film "Below."
The submarine is now the star attraction at the USS Silversides Museum in Muskegon, Michigan.
The USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan.
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The USS Silversides Submarine Museum is open seven days a week from April through December and operates Thursday through Monday in the winter months of January, February, and March.
An all-inclusive ticket to the museum costs $17.50 for adults, $15 for veterans, and is free of charge for active-duty service members. Tickets can be purchased on the museum's website.
Like the USS Cobia in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the museum also offers visitors the chance to spend a night on the submarine.
The USS Silversides is docked outside the museum in the Muskegon Lake Channel, which leads into Lake Michigan.
The Lake Express ferry passes by the USS Silversides on the Muskegon Lake Channel.
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The Lake Express ferry passes by the USS Silversides Submarine Museum on its route between Muskegon and Milwaukee. As I began my tour of the submarine, the ferry honked its horn as passengers waved at me from the upper deck.
The deck featured weapons such as a 4-inch, 50-caliber deck gun, a 40-millimeter antiaircraft gun, and a 20-millimeter surface-to-surface gun.
Weapons on the deck of the USS Silversides.
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The 40-millimeter antiaircraft gun had the longest range, capable of shooting targets up to 22,800 feet away.
A plaque on the deck memorialized crew member Mike Harbin, who was killed by enemy fire while manning the deck gun.
A plaque memorializing Mike Harbin on the USS Silversides.
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Harbin was 19 years old when he was shot in battle on May 10, 1942. He was buried at sea.
The torpedo loading ramp was made of a wood called lignum vitae, which gets slippery when wet.
A torpedo loading skid on the USS Silversides.
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Lignum vitae is Latin for "wood of life."
The rest of the deck was made of teak wood, which is impervious to water, fire, and termites. It also doesn't float, which was crucial to maintain the submarine's covert operations if a piece broke off.
Decals on the side of the submarine indicated its many wartime accomplishments.
Decals on the USS Silversides.
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The USS Silversides featured stickers showing that it sank 30 ships, but that number has since been amended to 23, Bethann Egan, the museum's executive director, told BI.
The USS Silversides also damaged 14 ships, cleared 16 enemy mines, and rescued two American paratroopers.
The first stop on my tour was the forward torpedo room, where crew members loaded torpedoes into the six torpedo tubes.
The forward torpedo room on the USS Silversides.
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The room slept 16 crew members on bunks that unfolded alongside the torpedoes, which measured 22 feet long and weighed 3,000 pounds.
Lockers located above the bunks were used to store personal possessions.
Lockers in the forward torpedo room.
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All of a crew member's personal items had to fit into one small locker.
Colored lights were used to help crew members' eyes adjust to the dark to prevent night blindness.
A light on the USS Silversides.
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If the submarine was too bright inside, crew members wouldn't be able to see in the dark if they went up onto the deck at night during an attack.
The lights used to be blue and then switched to red, which is why the light fixture said "blue" on it even though the light bulb was red.
The shower and bathroom in the forward torpedo room were used by the officers, whose bunks were located down the hall.
A shower and bathroom on the USS Silversides.
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Flushing the toilet on the USS Silversides was a 12-step process. One wrong move would cause the toilet's contents to shoot back out.
Meals were plated and reheated in the officers' pantry.
The officers' pantry.
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Officers ate the same meals as the rest of the crew, but dined in the privacy of the ward room instead of the crew's mess.
The pantry also stocked snacks and coffee.
The table on display in the wardroom was the original table where George Platter's successful appendectomy took place in 1942.
The wardroom on the USS Silversides.
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"The pharmacist's mate who actually performed it did not technically have permission from all the way up, but the commander made the decision that this needed to happen or else the sailor was going to die," Egan said. "So he stood up for him and made sure that he was not court-martialed after."
The wardroom also served as the officers' dining room and lounge.
The higher an officer's rank, the fewer people he had to share a room with.
Officers' quarters on the USS Silversides.
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Junior and senior officers served as administrators on the submarine, while the executive officer, known as the "XO," was second-in-command to the commanding officer.
Officers' quarters included fold-out desks and sinks.
Officers' quarters on the USS Silversides.
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The rooms also came with storage areas where they could hang their uniforms.
The commanding officer enjoyed the only private room on the submarine.
The commanding officer's stateroom on the USS Silversides.
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His stateroom featured a depth gauge and a compass above the bed so that he could tell how deep the submarine was and which way it was facing at all times.
Chief petty officers slept in a room nicknamed the "goat locker."
The chief petty officers' quarters on the USS Silversides.
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According to the Naval History and Heritage Command, the nickname dates back to the 1890s, when chief petty officers took care of the goats kept on ships for fresh milk.
Another explanation is that chief petty officers served in the Navy for over a decade to reach their positions and were known as "old goats."
In the yeoman's shack, the yeoman handled the submarine's paperwork.
The yeoman's shack on the USS Silversides.
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In addition to managing personnel records, the yeoman also kept logs of the submarine's changes in direction, speed, and depth.
In the control room, crew members managed the USS Silversides' vital functions with numerous technical instruments.
Instruments in the control center on the USS Silversides.
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The bow and stern plane wheels pictured above controlled the submarine's depth and angle.
The commanding officer would give commands like "Two degrees right rudder," which the crew would repeat and execute.
The ship's inclinometer worked like a carpenter's level to show if the submarine was tilting to one side or the other.
An inclinometer on the USS Silversides.
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Keith Gill, the museum's director of curatorial services, told BI that staff members use this inclinometer "every day" to check on the submarine.
"It's almost never centered, and that's because we have some leaks in some tanks that we're monitoring and adjusting air pressure to keep water out," Gill said.
The hull opening indicator light panel was known as the "Christmas tree" for its red and green lights.
The hull opening indicator light panel, also known as the "Christmas tree."
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A green light indicated that a vent or hatch was closed, while red meant it was open. The submarine could only submerge when the board was fully lit up in green.
The helmsman's wheel steered the submarine.
The main helm on the USS Silversides.
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On some World War II submarines, such as the USS Becuna, the main helm was located in the conning tower above the control room. On the USS Silversides, the main helm was in the control room itself.
The control room also housed the compressed air manifold and trim manifold.
The compressed air manifold.
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The compressed air manifold distributed compressed air throughout the submarine, which was used to start the engines, fire torpedoes, and surface the vessel.
The trim manifold showed how much weight was located in different tanks on the submarine and moved water between them to maintain the ship's balance as it used up fuel or fired weapons.
In the radio room, crew members could communicate with vessels up to 12,000 miles away.
The radio room on the USS Silversides.
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Most communications happened in code.
Cooks prepared all of the crew's meals in the galley.
The galley on the USS Silversides.
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Cooks were also trained to operate the deck guns and perform other technical tasks around the submarine.
Gill noted that during World War II, Black crew members were often relegated to roles in the kitchen and were not allowed to advance beyond serving as stewards due to the Navy's segregation policies.
"One of the negative sides of our past is how we treated African-American citizens," he said. "They were in the military, but they were segregated somewhat. On a Navy ship, on a sub, you really can't segregate, but you can control what they're doing."
The kitchen featured a piece of equipment I'd never seen on a submarine before: a soft-serve ice cream machine.
A soft-serve ice cream dispenser on the USS Silversides.
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The kitchen also included a deep fryer.
Crew members ate meals in three shifts in the crew's mess.
The crew's mess on the USS Silversides.
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Submarines were known for doing some of the most dangerous work and having some of the most difficult living conditions in the military, but they made up for it by ensuring sailors received the best food.
Submariners also received hazard pay, the highest in the Navy.
The enlisted men also slept in shifts in the crew's quarters.
The crew's quarters on the USS Silversides.
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Newer crew members slept on the bottom bunks, which could also occasionally be used as food storage early on in a patrol.
"Supposedly, they called this the honeymoon suite on top," Egan said. "I don't know if that's 100% accurate."
The crew's quarters on the USS Silversides.
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The mattresses in the two middle bunks were placed so close together that they essentially functioned as one bed.
Regular crew members only showered every 13 to 15 days in the crew's washroom.
The crew's washroom on the USS Silversides.
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Officers showered every three to five days, while the cooks showered every day since they were handling food.
The forward and after engine rooms each contained two 1,600-horsepower diesel engines manufactured by Fairbanks and Morse.
The forward engine room on the USS Silversides.
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At top speed, the USS Silversides could travel at 21 knots, or about 24 miles per hour.
The forward engine room also contained two evaporators that distilled ocean water into fresh water.
The engines are still operational.
The USS Silversides' insignia was painted on one of the after engines.
The USS Silversides insignia on one of its engines.
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The logo depicts a silverside fish smoking a cigar and holding a torpedo.
The maneuvering room was manned by two electricians who controlled the propulsion of the submarine.
The maneuvering room on the USS Silversides.
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At full power, the USS Silversides used 4 million watts of electricity.
The last stop on the tour was the after torpedo room in the back of the submarine.
The after torpedo room on the USS Silversides.
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The after torpedo room was smaller than the forward torpedo room, with four torpedo tubes and room for eight torpedoes.
The room displayed a real demilitarized Mark 18 electric torpedo.
A Mark 18 electric torpedo in the after torpedo room.
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Electric torpedoes like the Mark 18 didn't leave a wake, or trail of waves, behind them, making them more difficult to detect.
After I finished my tour of the submarine, I visited the museum itself, which featured photos and artifacts from World War II and beyond.
Inside the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan.
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I particularly enjoyed an exhibit about the appendectomy that took place in the wardroom featuring photos from the procedure.
Preserving the aging submarine is no small task, but the USS Silversides remains a fascinating testament to the dedication of American service members in World War II.
The USS Silversides.
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After running its engines in an annual Memorial Day tribute, the museum hopes to give the USS Silversides its first oil change since the 1950s this summer. Eventually, the entire vessel will have to be removed from the water and dry-docked due to leaks in its tanks.
The museum applied for federal funding through the Save America's Treasures grant program, but Egan said they may not end up receiving it due to sweeping cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency.
"They have not officially cut that funding source yet, but it's not looking good," Egan said.
When the submarine was on active duty, the entire 80-person crew worked tirelessly to maintain the ship, and the Navy financed all necessary repairs and upgrades. The USS Silversides Submarine Museum's preservation efforts, however, are privately funded and largely volunteer-driven.
"We're just poor museum people who are trying to honor the commitment that these guys made over 14 war patrols to protect our country," Gill said.
Bill Rancic, the first winner of "The Apprentice," with Donald Trump in 2004.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
There were seven seasons of "The Apprentice" and eight seasons of "The Celebrity Apprentice."
We ranked the non-celebrity winners based on what they've been up to since winning the show.
Bill Rancic remains the only household name 21 years after his season aired.
Before he was the president of the United States, to many of us, Donald Trump was known as the guy who told people they were fired every week on NBC.
As the host of "The Apprentice," a reality competition show that aired from 2004 to 2015, Trump was responsible for whittling down a group of qualified candidates to be the next employee at one of his various properties.
The winner was promised a huge promotion, major responsibility at the Trump Organization, and a lot of exposure around the world β¦ but can you actually recall any of the winners of "The Apprentice"?
We've ranked all seven of the non-celebrity winners of "The Apprentice" based on their post-show success and public visibility β see if you can remember them all.
7. Brandy Kuentzel, season 10
Brandy Kuentzel on "The Apprentice."
NBC
Kuentzel, who took the season 10 title in 2010 after a consistent performance throughout the series,Β returned to her legal roots after the show.
She was the general counsel and director of advocacy for the San Francisco SPCA from 2012 to 2022, where she oversaw all legal affairs and advocacy campaigns, according to her LinkedIn profile.
In January 2023, she cofounded and was named CEO of a veterinary start-up calledΒ Ease Pet Vet. The company connects pet owners with online veterinarians who can help with animal behavioral issues. According to the site, the company "specializes in common issues," which include "challenges such as reactivity, house soiling, generalized anxiety, noise fears, and separation anxiety."
She's a successful lawyer and businesswoman, but is the least well-known "Apprentice" winner since she has stayed out of the public eye.
6. Stefanie Schaeffer, season 6
Stefanie Schaeffer in 2008.
John M. Heller/Getty Images
After winning season six in 2007, Schaeffer, now 50, pivoted away from the business world to become a TV and YouTube host.
She was a correspondent for the TV Guide Channel and, as a former lawyer, hosted a 2008 web series called "Know Your Rights" to help people better understand the legal system.
An avid golfer, she often plays in celebrity golf tournaments and has both guest-hosted and offered commentary on The Golf Channel.
She's also involved with charities that advocate for autism awareness, cancer research, and children's issues, and hosted the YouTube show "The Future Is Bright"Β presented by the Autism Society of America in 2015.
5. Randal Pinkett, season 4
Randal Pinkett in 2016.
Jemal Countess/Getty Images
Pinkett, who won in 2005, had co-founded the consulting firm BCT Partners in 2001. His website calls BCT "a multimillion-dollar research, consulting, training, technology and analytics firm." He also holds five academic degrees and is a published author.
After his appearance on "The Apprentice," he remained somewhat in the public eye, returning to the show as a boardroom advisor.
In 2016, alongside other "Apprentice" candidates, he publicly opposed Trump's first presidential run, per NBC.
"We acknowledge Donald's success as a businessman, and genuinely appreciate the opportunity 'The Apprentice' afforded all of us," Pinkett, now 53, said at a press conference before the New York primary in 2016. "We, however, strongly condemn Donald's campaign of sexism, xenophobia, racism, violence, and hate."
Pinkett maintained this position during the 2024 campaign, when he and five other "Apprentice" alumni endorsed Kamala Harris in an open letter published by Politico. They called him a "divisive, self-interested, and erratic leader with a fragile ego."
Trump did not publicly respond to their letter at the time.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
4. Kelly Perdew, season 2
Kelly Perdew in 2008.
Paul Morigi/WireImage/Getty Images
After winning season two in 2004, Perdew founded a hedge fund and a consulting firm, and he gives speeches about leadership.
Perdew's fund, Moonshots Capital, invests in technology startups and companies started by veterans. His creative consulting agency, DuMont Project, works with direct-to-consumer brands.
A former military intelligence officer, Perdew, 58, was appointed to President George W. Bush's Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2006 and re-appointed in 2008.
He has also served on several company boards, including Pandora and LinkedIn, and frequently gives public speeches on leadership, technology, and career development.
3. Sean Yazbeck, season 5
Sean Yazbeck in 2005.
Katy Winn/Getty Images for IMG
Yazbeck won season five of "The Apprentice" in 2006.
After overseeing the construction of the Trump SoHo condominium in New York City, he started his own telecommunications company called Wavsys, which was named an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company in America in 2014.
Yazbeck, 52, who grew up in London, was also awarded the British Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2014.
He returned to "The Apprentice" as a guest board member and dabbled in voice acting with a small part in the 2006 animated film "Over the Hedge."
Per his LinkedIn, he's also co-founded other companies such as Scopeworker, a supply chain company, and Admazing, which connects businesses that are looking to advertise with mobile games.
2. Kendra Todd, season 3
Kendra Todd in 2005.
Daniel J. Barry/WireImage/Getty Images
Some "Apprentice" winners become successful businesspeople, and some become television personalities, but Kendra Todd's career balances both.
Todd, 47, won "The Apprentice" in 2005, the same year that Realtor Magazine named her one of their Top 30 Under 30 brokers.
After her time on the show, she released the bestseller "Risk & Grow Rich: How to Make Millions in Real Estate," then combined her real estate expertise and TV experience as the host of HGTV's "My House Is Worth What?" from 2006 to 2008.
Todd founded her own real estate firm, the Kendra Todd Group, in 2009, where she continues to work today, per her LinkedIn. She has also made appearances on "Fox and Friends" as a real estate contributor.
In response to the letter that some "Apprentice" alums signed endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, Todd spearheaded a response from 10 other former contestants to support Trump's campaign, Fox News reported in October 2024.
"It is disappointing and shameful that these contestants would use the platform that Donald Trump gave them to attack him in this manner," they wrote. "Is this the thanks he gets for literally changing the trajectory of our lives?"
1. Bill Rancic, season 1
Bill Rancic in 2019.
Noam Galai/Getty Images
Rancic, who won the very first season in 2004, capitalized on his "Apprentice" success as a motivational speaker and bestselling author in addition to his business ventures.
As a motivational speaker, Rancic, 53, teaches audiences about productivity and his successful business methods. He hasΒ hosted and appeared on several TV shows talking about entrepreneurship and has written four books, including a New York Times bestseller called "You're Hired."
With several burgeoning businesses and star power, he's the only "Apprentice" winner who has remained a household name years after the show aired, hence earning the accolade of most successful "Apprentice" winner.
The 27-year-old, who interned during President Donald Trump's first term, is the youngest-ever White House press secretary. A member of the president's inner circle, she's become known for clashing with legacy media outlets, highlighting nontraditional "new media" voices such as podcasters and influencers, and commanding the podium with unflappable confidence.
One fashion designer often appears on Leavitt's Instagram account with outfits credited in captions like "another newsy day at the White House!"
Christopher Cuozzo, a designer of bespoke menswear who recently added womenswear to his brand, has created several custom suits for Leavitt and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, a 59-year-old real-estate developer.
Business Insider spoke with Cuozzo in April about working with Leavitt and designing looks for one of the White House's most visible figures.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Christopher Cuozzo.
JD Prentice
Let's start with how you first got connected to Karoline.
Very organically. Karoline is very friendly with the woman who designed my website. I've been doing custom menswear for a very long time and rolled out custom womenswear in 2024. The woman who did my website obviously knew that from building out my website. She made the introduction, and I met with Karoline and her husband the day after Thanksgiving.
I did quite a few suits, actually, some for him, some for her. They were the nicest, nicest people. Then, when the suits were ready, I shipped them down to DC for them. They absolutely loved them, and both of them have been ordering more ever since.
Leavitt in a suit designed by Cuozzo.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
What is the process of creating these pieces? Does she make certain requests for styles or colors, or are you presenting fabrics and ideas?
It's a little bit of both. It kind of works this way for a lot of my customers. They come to me with ideas, and what I do is send pictures. What really helps, for both men and women, is to see not just a fabric swatch but to see a full, done-up suit on a model. So I have a plethora of those photos.
I follow trends, so I have to factor in what's in. I have to factor in the season. I have to factor in the client's complexion and hair color. And then, I also have to factor in what the client does for a living, because somebody who is an artist versus somebody who's in media are two completely different clients.
I've been watching what she wears when it's not my stuff β dresses and jackets β and she's not afraid of color. So I was like, "What do you think of this emerald green with gold buttons instead of a green button or black?" She was like, "Oh, my god, I love it." So we worked very well together.
Leavitt wore an emerald-green suit featuring gold buttons designed by Cuozzo.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
How long does it take you to make these suits?
Typically, a suit, or really any garment, takes about four to six weeks. Now, there's all these things that go into it that could add a longer time. We do a lot of custom linings where we print the photos onto silk, and then that lining goes inside the suit, and that's going to add approximately two weeks.
As you've been designing these suits for Karoline, have you put in any of these hidden details or custom linings?
Yes. I'm going off memory here, but I'm pretty confident we did an American flag lining in one of her suits.
It's not always visible when you're just looking at photos from press conferences.
I know. I've got to get her to flash that jacket open.
Leavitt in a navy pinstripe suit by Cuozzo.
Nathan Howard/REUTERS
You mentioned that there's a lot to consider when you're designing suits for people based on their profession. What sort of considerations do you have when you're designing suits for someone like Karoline, who is in such a public and high-pressure role?
Very good question. Classic reigns supreme, so you don't want anything trendy. She's a very classy woman, but she's down to business, for sure. I don't envision her wanting to do some very loud plaid suit that's a bunch of different colors.
As I get to know her a little bit more and watch her and see what she does, I think the classics will usually win, with a twist.
When she chose red, I was pleasantly surprised. It's my company color. It's one of my favorite colors. It screams confidence. I was like, "Oh, yeah. This will be awesome." I'm pretty sure that's the one we did the American flag in.
She's on the younger side, so she can pull off some of that stuff.
Leavitt's red suit featured a custom American flag lining, Cuozzo told BI.
Alex Brandon/AP
There's a long history of ways that clothing can be used to send a message, when people in prominent positions can kind of say something without saying anything. Is that something that you or Karoline think about, what message she's trying to convey with these choices?
I always say what you wear speaks before you do. It's kind of a judging-a-book-by-its-cover-type situation. But if somebody walks into a room and they're wearing a suit, and that room is full of people who are wearing jeans and T-shirts, well, in my opinion, that suit is going to say, "All right, this man or woman means business." This is somebody who's important. Doors start to be held for you. Doors start to be opened for you.
How you dress and how you carry yourself says a lot. I do think about that when I'm designing suits for Karoline. It's fun. It's a really fun way to express oneself.
If someone were to get a custom suit from you, about how much would that cost?
Our woman's suiting starts at $1,495. Our men's suiting starts at $995. It goes up from there based upon quality of fabric.
Would you be able to share how much Karoline's suits have cost?
I would love to answer all your questions, I really would, but I'm going to keep that between her and me.
Elon Musk is the richest person in Texas β and the richest person in the world.
Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Forbes compiled a list of the richest person in every state in 2025.
Alaska, Delaware, and West Virginia are the only three states without billionaires.
Four of the seven richest Americans live in California, with Mark Zuckerberg in the top spot.
The US is home to more billionaires than any other country. While it might be tempting to think they all congregate in California, New York, Florida, or Texas, these ultra-rich members of society can also be found in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, or Shelburne, Vermont β or dozens of other cities nationwide. In fact, there are billionaires in 47 states.
In May 2025, Forbes released a list of the wealthiest person in each state. With fortunes across industries like tech, retail, agriculture, and oil, these individuals have a combined net worth of $2 trillion, up a full $400 billion from last year.
Find out who's the richest person that calls your state home, according to Forbes' report. The estimated net worths below were accurate as of April 2025.
ALABAMA: Jimmy Rane
Jimmy Rane.
Todd J. Van Emst/AP
Net worth: $1.5 billion
Age: 78
Source of wealth: As the founder and CEO of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Rane helped popularize the lumber business by appearing in commercials as a cowboy known as "the Yella Fella."
Residence: Abbeville
ALASKA: Jonathan Rubini and family, Leonard Hyde and family
Alaskans are expected to receive their 2024 PFD in October.
Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock
Net worth: $400 million, each
Age: Rubini is 70; Hyde is 68.
Source of wealth: Rubini serves as the CEO and chairman of commercial real-estate developer JL Properties, while Hyde serves as its president. Each of them owns 50% of the business, which also includes properties in Florida and Utah, Forbes reported.
Residence: Anchorage
ARIZONA: Ernest Garcia II
A Carvana "car vending machine" in Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Net worth: $17.3 billion
Age: 67
Source of wealth: Ernest Garcia II owns the used car retailer DriveTime Automotive, the fourth-largest used car retailer in the US. He is also the largest shareholder of Carvana, an online used car dealer founded by his son, Ernest Garcia III, in 2012.
Residence: Tempe
ARKANSAS: Rob Walton and family
Rob Walton in 2018.
Rick T. Wilking / Stringer / Getty Images
Net worth: $113 billion
Age: 80
Source of wealth: Rob Walton and his siblings inherited their wealth from their father, Sam Walton, who opened the first Walmart store in 1962 and founded the discount warehouse Sam's Club in 1983. Rob Walton, the eldest of the Walton siblings, is also one of the principal owners of the Denver Broncos.
Residence: Bentonville
CALIFORNIA: Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg.
Manuel Orbegozo/REUTERS
Net worth: $189 billion
Age: 40
Source of wealth: As a student at Harvard, Zuckerberg cofounded a social network known as "The Facebook" in 2004. He went on to become CEO of Meta, the parent company for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads.
Residence: Palo Alto
COLORADO: Philip Anschutz
Philip Anschutz.
Harry How/Getty Images
Net worth: $16.9 billion
Age: 85
Source of wealth: Anschutz initially amassed his fortune through the discovery of an oil field on the Wyoming-Utah border in 1979 and subsequent investments in railroad companies. He founded Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) in 1994, which owns major sports teams and performance venues such as the Crypto.com Arena. AEG is also the parent company of theΒ CoachellaΒ music festival.
Residence: Denver
CONNECTICUT: Steve Cohen
Steve Cohen.
Steve Marcus/Reuters
Net worth: $21.3 billion
Age: 68
Source of wealth: Cohen founded two hedge funds, SAC Capital and Point72. Until SAC Capital was shut down after pleading guilty to insider trading charges in 2013, it was one of the most successful hedge funds in the world (Cohen himself was never charged). Point72 currently manages over $35 billion, Forbes reported. He also holds a 95% ownership stake in the New York Mets.
A fun fact about Cohen: He loosely inspired Damien Lewis' "Billions" character, Bobby Axelrod.
Residence: Greenwich
DELAWARE: Elizabeth Snyder
A Gore-Tex coat.
Manfred Segerer/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Net worth: $800 million
Age: 77
Source of wealth: Snyder's parents founded WL Gore & Associates, a manufacturing company that holds over 7,000 patents, in 1958. Gore-Tex, a waterproof fabric used in outdoor apparel and shoes, remains its most profitable invention. Snyder owns around 5.5% of the company, Forbes reported.
Residence: Wilmington
FLORIDA: Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos.
Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for The New York Times
Net worth: $206 billion
Age: 61
Source of wealth: Bezos founded e-commerce titan Amazon in 1994 and still owns around 9% of the company. As of May 2025, he was the third-richest person in the US behind Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. He's also the third-richest person in the world, just ahead of Larry Ellison.
Residence: Miami
GEORGIA: Bubba Cathy, Dan Cathy, and Trudy Cathy White
Dan Cathy.
Cyrus McCrimmon/Getty Images
Net worth: $10.7 billion
Age: 71 (Bubba), 72 (Dan), and 69 (Trudy)
Source of wealth: The Cathys are heirs to the Chick-fil-A family fortune. Founded by their father, S. Truett Cathy, in the 1960s, the fried-chicken fast-food chain now has over 3,200 restaurant locations worldwide. Dan Cathy's son, Andrew Cathy, took over as CEO in 2021. Dan Cathy's brother, Bubba Cathy, is still the executive vice president.
Residence: Atlanta (Bubba and Don), Hampton (Trudy)
HAWAII: Pierre Omidyar
Pierre Omidyar.
Ramin Talaie/Getty
Net worth: $10 billion
Age: 57
Source of wealth: Omidyar founded eBay in 1995 and became a billionaire when the e-commerce company went public during the dot-com bubble in 1998. eBay also acquired PayPal in 2002 for $1.5 billion.
Residence: Honolulu
IDAHO: Frank VanderSloot
Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Pandora Pictures/Shutterstock
Net worth: $3.2 billion
Age: 76
Source of wealth: VanderSloot is the founder and former chief executive of Melaleuca, Inc., which sells nutritional and wellness products online. Forbes reported that the company now has over one million customers each month.
Residence: Idaho Falls
ILLINOIS: Lukas Walton
Lukas Walton.
Walton Family Foundation
Net worth: $39 billion
Age: 38
Source of wealth: Lukas Walton is the billionaire heir to the Walmart fortune and the grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Lukas Walton inherited his vast wealth after his father, John T. Walton, died in a plane crash in 2005 at the age of 58.
He founded Builders Vision, an impact investing group, in 2021, and also chairs the Walton Family Foundation's environment program committee.
Residence: Chicago
INDIANA: Carl Cook
Indiana University Bloomington.
Ying Luo/Getty Images
Net worth: $9.9 billion
Age: 62
Source of wealth: Cook has served as CEO of Cook Group, a medical-device manufacturing company founded by his parents, since his father's death in 2011. Forbes reported the company made $2.4 billion in revenue in 2024.
Residence: Bloomington
IOWA: Harry Stine
Harry Stine.
Reuters
Net worth: $10.2 billion
Age: 83
Source of wealth: Stine is an agricultural pioneer and the founder and owner of Stine Seed, a corn and soybean seed company based in Adel, Iowa.
According to the company's website, Stine Seed and its affiliates own around 800 patents related to soybean and corn genetic technology. Major licensing deals have helped it become one of the world's largest private seed companies.
Residence: Adel
KANSAS: Charles Koch and family
Charles Koch.
Wichita Eagle / Contributor / Getty Images
Net worth: $67.5 billion
Age: 89
Source of wealth: Koch amassed his billions from serving as co-CEO of Koch, Inc., which produces around $125 billion in revenue each year, Forbes reported.
Founded in 1940 by his father, Fred Koch, Koch Industries β later shortened to Koch β is involved in various businesses, from oil pipelines to paper goods, and is the second-largest private company in the US.
Residence: Wichita
KENTUCKY: Tamara Gustavson
Tamara Hughes Gustavson (left) and Eric Gustavson.
Randy Shropshire/Getty Images
Net worth: $8.1 billion
Age: 63
Source of wealth: Gustavson made her billions as the heiress to the Public Storage empire and as a prize-winning horse breeder. Her father, B. Wayne Hughes, cofounded Public Storage, a self-storage company that now owns and operates thousands of locations across the US and Europe, in 1972.
Forbes reported that Gustavson owns about 10% of the company.
Residence: Lexington
LOUISIANA: Todd Graves
Todd Graves.
Raising Cane's
Net worth: $17.2 billion
Age: 53
Source of wealth: Graves, the founder and CEO of the chicken-tender restaurant chain Raising Cane's, opened his first restaurant in 1996. The company now has nearly 900 restaurants in the US and made $5.1 billion in annual sales in 2024, Forbes reported.
Residence: Baton Rouge
MAINE: Susan Alfond
Susan Alfond.
Portland Press Herald/Getty Images
Net worth: $3.7 billion
Age: 79
Source of wealth: Alfond's father, Harold Alfond, made a fortune as the founder of the Dexter Shoe Company, once one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the US. Forbes reported that he sold the company to Warren Buffett in 1993 for $420 million in Berkshire Hathaway stock.
Harold Alfond died in 2007, leaving his fortune to Susan Alfond and her three siblings.
Residence: Scarborough
MARYLAND: Annette Lerner and family
Washington Nationals principal owner, Mark Lerner, with his mother, Annette Lerner.
The Washington Post/Getty Images
Net worth: $5.5 billion
Age: 95
Source of wealth: Lerner's fortune grew after she loaned $250 to her husband, Ted Lerner, to establish a firm that sold homes to real-estate developers, Forbes reported.
Founded in 1952, it grew to become one of the most successful real-estate companies in the DC area. The Lerners also made their money as owners of the Washington Nationals baseball team.
Residence: Chevy Chase
MASSACHUSETTS: Abigail Johnson
Abigail Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments, at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce annual meeting in 2022.
Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Net worth: $31.5 billion
Age: 63
Source of wealth: Johnson is the chair and CEO of Fidelity Investments β which her grandfather founded β and holds an estimated 28.5% ownership in the company. The Financial Times called her the "quiet queen of American finance" for the way she grew her father's and grandfather's business while staying incredibly private.
Residence: Milton
MICHIGAN: Daniel Gilbert
Dan Gilbert at a Cleveland Cavaliers press conference in 2019.
Jason Miller/Getty Images
Net worth: $23.7 billion
Age: 63
Source of wealth: Gilbert is the founder and chairman of Rocket Companies, formerly known as Quicken Loans. From 2013 to 2018, under Gilbert's leadership, the company closed nearly half a trillion in home loans, according to the Gilbert Family Foundation. He also owns the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers.
Residence: Franklin
MINNESOTA: Glen Taylor
Glen Taylor.
David Berding/Getty Images
Net worth: $2.9 billion
Age: 84
Source of wealth: Taylor purchased Carlson Letter Service, a wedding stationery business that he worked for while attending college, in 1975, according to the company's website. It became the Taylor Corporation, a print services and communications company. A former state senator, he's also owned several sports teams.
Residence: Mankato
MISSISSIPPI: Thomas and James Duff
Hattiesburg.
Found Image Holdings/Corbis/Getty Images
Net worth: $3 billion
Age: 68 and 64
Source of wealth: The Duff brothers' wealth originates from their family business: tires. Their father, Ernest, founded Southern Tire Mart in the '70s and sold it in 1998. James and Thomas bought it back in 2003 and then cofounded Duff Capital Investors, a holding company, in 2007. Forbes reported it now brings in $5 billion in revenue across over 20 businesses.
Residence: Hattiesburg
MISSOURI: David Steward
World Wide Technology founder David Steward during a NASCAR Cup press conference in 2021.
Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Net worth: $11.4 billion
Age: 73
Source of wealth: In 1990, David Steward cofounded IT provider World Wide Technology, which Forbes valued at $20 billion in sales. Citi, Verizon, and the federal government are a few of the company's clients. An avid fan of car racing, Steward has pushed for more diversity in NASCAR, according to his company bio. In 2018, WWT began sponsoring Bubba Wallace, one of the few Black drivers in the racing organization's history.
Residence: St. Louis
MONTANA: Dennis Washington
Phyllis and Dennis Washington at the 2016 Princess Grace Awards Gala.
Gonzalo Marroquin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Net worth: $7.4 billion
Age: 90
Source of wealth: Washington owns a business group called Washington Companies, which is involved in mining, rail and marine transportation, and construction. He's also invested in his son Kyle's ship business, Seaspan ULC.
Residence: Missoula
NEBRASKA: Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, in 2019.
Nati Harnik/AP
Net worth: $165 billion
Age: 94
Source of wealth: Buffett is one of the best-known and most successful investors of all time. He's made his fortune via Berkshire Hathaway, which owns brands such as Geico, Dairy Queen, and Duracell. Despite his immense wealth, he's also known for his modest spending habits. Recently, he announced he'll retire at the end of 2025.
Residence: Omaha
NEVADA: Miriam Adelson and family
Miriam Adelson at a Dallas Mavericks game in 2024.
Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Net worth: $28.6 billion
Age: 79
Source of wealth: Miriam Adelson is on the list after the 2021 death of her husband, casino magnate and major Republican donor Sheldon Adelson. Now, she and her family own over 50% of Las Vegas Sands, a casino company worth over $39 billion. In 2023, she became a majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, a title formerly held by Mark Cuban. She's also been a major donor to Donald Trump.
Source of wealth: Most of Cohen's familial wealth comes from Symbotic, a warehouse automation company that has partnered with Walmart. Cohen is the chairman and CEO. In addition, Cohen also owns the US' largest grocery wholesaler, C&S Wholesale Grocers, which brings in $33 billion annually, Forbes reported. In 2024, his net worth plunged by $9 billion due to his family's stake in Symbotic, when the company's stocks tanked.
Residence: Keene
NEW JERSEY: John Overdeck
John Overdeck at the Code-to-Learn Foundation Benefit in 2015.
Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Code-to-Learn Foundation
Net worth: $7.4 billion
Age: 55
Source of wealth: Two Sigma, a $60 billion hedge fund, which Overdeck cofounded, is the source of his wealth. He and David Siegel stepped down as co-CEOs last year, amid a long-term dispute over managing the firm. In high school, he won a silver medal in the International Mathematics Olympiad, and now he serves as chair for the National Museum of Mathematics.
Residence: Millburn
NEW MEXICO: Ron Corio
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Net worth: $1.7 billion
Age: 63
Source of wealth: Corio's billionaire status β the first in New Mexico β stems from Array Technologies, a solar tracking systems business. He is the founder and former CEO, resigning in 2020 before its IPO.
Residence: Albuquerque
NEW YORK: Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg.
AP
Net worth: $105 billion
Age: 83
Source of wealth: What hasn't Bloomberg done? Besides his 12-year stint as the mayor of New York City and an unsuccessful presidential campaign, Bloomberg cofounded Bloomberg LP in 1981. Bloomberg is a media company and a financial firm with revenues of $13.3 billion, as reported by Forbes.
Residence: New York
NORTH CAROLINA: James Goodnight
James Goodnight.
Brad Barket/Getty Images for Time Inc.
Net worth: $9.8 billion
Age: 82
Source of wealth: Goodnight and his colleague John Sall (also a billionaire) cofounded a private school, Cary Academy, and also co-own a hotel and country club. But their biggest business venture together is the software company SAS, founded in 1976. It made over $3 billion in sales in 2024, according to the company's 2024 annual report.
Source of wealth: Tharaldson, the only billionaire in North Dakota, got his start in 1982 when Tharaldson Hospitality purchased a Super 8 Motel. It then became a huge hospitality group and one of America's largest developers of new hotels.
Residence: Fargo
OHIO: Les Wexner and family
Les Wexner.
Stephen Lovekin/WWD/Penske Media/Getty Images
Net worth: $7.8 billion
Age: 87
Source of wealth: Wexner opened The Limited in Ohio in the 1960s. He then founded a retail empire that, at one point, owned brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, The Limited Too, Express, and Victoria's Secret. Now Wexner's company has been renamed Bath & Body Works Inc., and solely owns the chain of the same name.
Residence: New Albany
OKLAHOMA: Harold Hamm and family
Harold Hamm.
Leigh Vogel/Contributor/Getty Images for Concordia Summit
Net worth: $18.5 billion
Age: 79
Source of wealth: Hamm founded the Shelly Dean Oil Company, now known as Continental Resources, in 1967 when he was only 21. It's now one of the largest oil companies in the US, thanks in part to Hamm's decision to use horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in the Bakken region of North Dakota in the '90s. The company went public in 2007, but in 2022, Hamm and his five children took the company private again in a deal worth $27 billion.
Residence: Oklahoma City
OREGON: Phil Knight and family
Phil Knight.
Christian Petersen/Staff/Getty Images
Net worth: $29 billion
Age: 87
Source of wealth: One word: Nike. Knight cofounded the iconic brand in 1964 alongside Bill Bowerman. Although Knight retired in 2016, he and his family still own 20% of the company, which, in 2024, earned $51 billion in fiscal revenue, per Forbes.
Residence: Hillsboro
PENNSYLVANIA: Jeff Yass
Haverford College duck pond.
Imad Salhab/Shutterstock
Net worth: $59 billion
Age: 66
Source of wealth: After spending time as a pro gambler and trader on the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Yass cofounded Susquehanna International Group in 1987. The successful Wall Street trading firm has a 15% stake in ByteDance, TikTok's parent company. NBC reported in 2024 that Yass also has a personal share (7%) of ByteDance.
Residence: Haverford
RHODE ISLAND: Jonathan Nelson
Providence, Rhode Island.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Net worth: $3.4 billion
Age: 68
Source of wealth: In 1989, Nelson founded and led the private equity firm Providence Equity Partners. He was CEO until January 2021 and is now its executive chairman. The firm has invested in over 180 companies, including Hulu, Warner Media Group, and Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES).
Residence: Providence
SOUTH CAROLINA: Robert Faith
Greystar Real Estate Partners.
T. Schneider/Shutterstock
Net worth: $5 billion
Age: 61
Source of wealth: Robert "Bob" Faith founded Greystar, a global real estate firm, in 1993 and continues to serve as chairman and CEO. Throughout his career, Faith grew Greystar from 9,000 units in the US to more than a million units across five continents, worth more than $315 billion, the company reported in a March press release. The company also has an investment management platform with $36 billion in assets under development.
Residence: Charleston
SOUTH DAKOTA: T. Denny Sanford
T. Denny Sanford.
Bruce Bisping/Contributor/Star Tribune via Getty Images
Net worth: $2.1 billion
Age: 89
Source of wealth: The University of Minnesota alum made his fortune as the owner of First Premier Bank. Despite having just 17 branches across South Dakota, the bank is one of the largest issuers of Mastercards, in part because it specializes in offering credit cards to those with low credit scores. Often, the cards have low limits and high interest rates.
Residence: Sioux Falls
TENNESSEE: Thomas Frist Jr. and family
Nashville.
Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock
Net worth: $26.8 billion
Age: 86
Source of wealth: Frist Jr. cofounded Hospital Corp. of America with his father in 1968. According to its website, the for-profit healthcare company is responsible for 186 hospitals and over 2,400 care sites (like urgent care centers, surgery clinics, and physician clinics) across the US and UK. He and his family own over 20% of the company, and his sons, Thomas Frist III and William Frist, are board members.
Residence: Nashville
TEXAS: Elon Musk
Elon Musk.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Contributor/FilmMagic
Net worth: $388 billion
Age: 53
Source of wealth: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are in a continuous battle for the title of richest person in the US. Musk is CEO of Tesla, CEO and founder of SpaceX, and the founder of neurotechnology startup Neuralink and tunneling company The Boring Company. He also helped found OpenAI, but he left in 2018 and announced his own AI endeavor, xAI, in 2023, which he owns an estimated 54% of, according to Forbes. He also owns an estimated 74% of social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Residence: Austin
UTAH: Gail Miller
Gail Miller.
Alex Goodlett/Contributor/Getty Images
Net worth: $4.4 billion
Age: 81
Source of wealth: Miller owns the Larry H. Miller Company, which she founded with her husband, Larry H. Miller, in 1979 after purchasing their first Toyota dealership. The LHM Company's car dealership business became the eighth-largest in the US, and she sold it for $3.2 billion in 2021, Forbes reported. (Larry H. Miller died in 2009.) LHM's portfolio also includes companies in real estate, entertainment, sports, and insurance, among others. In 2020, after more than 30 years of owning the Utah Jazz, Miller sold the team and their home arena for $1.66 billion.
Residence: Salt Lake City
VERMONT: John Abele
Boston Scientific advertisement.
Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Net worth: $2 billion
Age: 88
Source of wealth: In 1979, Abele cofounded Boston Scientific, a medical device manufacturer, alongside Peter Nicholas. Boston Scientific focuses on developing more accessible medical technologies, and its products include pacemakers, defibrillators, and stents.
Residence: Shelburne
VIRGINIA: Jacqueline Mars
Jacqueline Mars.
Ryan Miller/Contributor/Getty Images for Orange County Museum of Art
Net worth: $39 billion
Age: 85
Source of wealth: As the granddaughter of Mars Incorporated founder Frank C. Mars, Jacqueline owns an estimated one-third of the legendary candy, food, and pet-care company responsible for treats like Snickers, Juicy Fruit, and Milky Way. (Her brother owns another third and is the richest person in Wyoming, per Forbes.) She served on the board of directors until 2016, having spent nearly 20 years with the company.
Residence: The Plains
WASHINGTON: Steve Ballmer
Steve Ballmer.
Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
Net worth: $118 billion
Age: 69
Source of wealth: Bill Gates hiredBallmer as Microsoft's 30th employee in 1980. Ballmer went on to serve as the CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014. After retiring, he bought the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion and donated millions to the University of Oregon.
Residence: Hunts Point
WEST VIRGINIA: Brad Smith
Brad Smith.
John Medina/Getty Images
Net worth: $900 million
Age: 61
Source of wealth: During Smith's time as CEO and then executive chairman of the finance and business software company Intuit, the company's revenue almost doubled, Forbes reported. The success came after Intuit revamped its desktop software into a digital cloud-based platform. Now the president of Marshall University, he also chairs Nordstrom's board of directors and sits on the boards of Amazon and JPMorgan Chase.
Residence: Huntington
WISCONSIN: Diane Hendricks
Diane Hendricks.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Net worth: $21.9 billion
Age: 78
Source of wealth: Hendricks earned her billionaire status as the cofounder of ABC Supply, the largest roofing wholesaler in the US, with her late husband Ken Hendricks. Founded in 1982, ABC Supply acquired the building materials distributors Bradco in 2010 and L&W Supply in 2016 with Hendricks at the helm.
Residence: Afton
WYOMING: John Mars
John Mars.
John Stillwell - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Net worth: $39 billion
Age: 89
Source of wealth: Mars β whose sister is Jacqueline Mars, Virginia's richest person β is another heir of the Mars family fortune amassed from candy products such as Snickers, Mars Bars, and M&M's, as well as Pedigree pet food and Uncle Ben's rice. He owns a third of the $45 billion business.
Melania Trump made bolder fashion choices during President Donald Trump's first term.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Melania Trump has worn neutral basics at recent official events, a departure from her usual style.
She seemingly hasn't spent much time at the White House after saying she'd also be living in Florida and New York.
Her subdued wardrobe and infrequent public appearances have helped her keep a low profile.
Melania Trump, the first lady, rarely ventures into public these days. When she does, you may have a hard time spotting her.
Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, her wardrobe has largely consisted of muted basics in neutral tones.
A black Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo for the National Governors Association dinner and reception in February. A gray Dior skirt suit for Donald Trump's joint address to Congress in March. A cream-colored Mackage trench coat for the White House Easter Egg Roll in April.
And most recently, on Thursday, a white blazer and black skirt for an event honoring military mothers.
Melania Trump and Donald Trump at a White House event for military mothers in May.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
It's a notable departure from her White House style during President Donald Trump's first term, when she made bolder fashion choices.
Melania Trump wore a Zara jacket reading "I really don't care, do u?" during Donald Trump's first presidency.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Melania Trump's involvement in public life this time around has been similarly subdued, which has helped her maintain a low profile.
Citing anonymous officials, The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the first lady had spent fewer than 14 days at the White House since the inauguration on January 20. She has been photographed at the White House about once a month β twice in April.
The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Ahead of Donald Trump's second term, Melania Trump indicated that she didn't plan to live at the White House full time, an arrangement not typical of modern first ladies. In a rare interview back in January, she told Fox News that she planned to divide her time between Washington, DC, Trump Tower in New York City, and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
Melania Trump and Donald Trump at the White House Easter Egg Roll.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
"I will be in the White House," she said. "And, you know, when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach."
The shift to safer style choices could indicate a more matter-of-fact approach to a role she's already held, but perhaps the first lady is simply tired of launching a news cycle with every outing and look.
Throughout her memoir, "Melania," she expressed frustration with what she called the "vindictive attitude" of press coverage surrounding her involvement in public life.
Melania Trump at Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in March.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
"That campaign year would set the tone for my future relationship with the media β they would never treat me fairly," she wrote of campaigning in 2016. "They persisted in fabricating stories, undermining my efforts on behalf of children, and focusing on trivial matters."
A fiercely private first lady, Melania Trump's tempered wardrobe and infrequent appearances have given the media and the public little to talk about, which may have been the goal all along.
Β At Ollie's Bargain Outlet, the store's slogan is "Good stuff cheap."
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I shopped at Ollie's Bargain Outlet for the first time, where the slogan is "Good stuff cheap."
At Ollie's, the prices of groceries, toiletries, and toys were cheaper than at Walmart and Target.
I thought the organization of the store felt a bit chaotic, but it had lots of personality.
When I mentioned that I planned to visit Ollie's Bargain Outlet for an article, several of my East Coast-based colleagues responded with some variation of "OMG I LOVE OLLIE'S."
I'd never heard of Ollie's until the brand acquired 40 former Big Lots stores across the US in February, including four new locations in my home state of Wisconsin, but it appears to have cultivated a loyal following of bargain-hunters.
Another indicator of the brand's staying power: as many brick-and-mortar stores downsize and struggle to stay afloat, Ollie's is one of the fastest-growing brands in the US in 2025, according to a Yelp report. Net sales grew 8% in the 2024 fiscal year to $2.27 billion, according to Ollie's latest earnings report. It also opened 50 new stores in the 2024 fiscal year, bringing its total to 559 stores in 31 states, and it plans to open 75 more locations by February 2026.
President Donald Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs may also increase the popularity of discounted shopping locations, as consumers are expected to pay more for items such as groceries, electronics, and toys once they're implemented.
I visited Ollie's to compare its prices to Target and Walmart and see if it lived up to its slogan of "Good stuff cheap." Take a look inside.
I visited an Ollie's location in West Bend, Wisconsin, that used to be a Big Lots.
An Ollie's store in West Bend, Wisconsin.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
All four new Ollie's locations in Wisconsin opened in February. There are no longer any Big Lots stores in Wisconsin after the brand closed 200 stores across 41 states in 2024.
When I walked inside, the first thing I saw was a section labeled "Ollie's Deal Zone" with items under $5.
The entrance to Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The carts appeared to contain mostly seasonal items such as summer-themed tumblers and beach towels for $2.99. It reminded me of the Bullseye's Playground section at Target containing items costing between $1 and $5.
The handwritten signs and cartoons of Ollie's namesake mascot made it feel more personalized than a big-box store.
Keurig cups at Ollie's.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Ollie's, founded by Mark Butler, Mort Bernstein, Harry Coverman, and its namesake, Oliver "Ollie" Rosenberg, opened its first store in Pennsylvania in 1982. Its 100th store opened in 2011, and Ollie's became a publicly traded company in 2015.
The walls at Ollie's were plastered with illustrated signs advertising the low prices in creative ways, such as "Caution: bargains ahead" with "Ollie" dressed as a construction worker, and "Knockout deals" showing the character wearing boxing gloves. Everywhere I turned, I saw another quirky sign that made me chuckle.
I was surprised to find that Ollie's had a sizable section of books at the front of the store.
Books at Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Instead of selling the new releases and bestsellers I usually see at big-box chains, Ollie's stocked an eclectic collection of graphic novels, coffee table books, volumes of Bible studies, and picture books for kids.
I thought the coffee table books in particular would make great inexpensive gifts. I found a giant book about baseball stadiums for $7.99 that the baseball enthusiasts in my life would love.
The shelves at Ollie's resembled chains like Aldi and Costco that leave items in the shipping boxes to save on labor costs.
Groceries at Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
In one of the grocery aisles filled with canned goods and condiments, many of the items were still in boxes. I recognized some brands, like Campbell's and Libby's, but others were new to me.
Piles of boxes in a store can be a sign of the retail apocalypse, but since there were already boxes everywhere, they didn't stick out as much.
Cardboard boxes at Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Piles of boxes crowding a store can indicate understaffing and may deter customers from shopping if they have to squeeze through the aisles, Business Insider previously reported.
Since most of the merchandise was shelved in cardboard boxes, this could have been more of a stylistic choice.
In the grocery section, a box of Cheerios cost $1.99 at Ollie's, which was significantly cheaper than at both Target and Walmart.
Cereal at Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I compared prices using the Target and Walmart apps on my phone while browsing the aisles at Ollie's. The same 8.9-ounce box of Cheerios costs $4.49 at Target and $3.68 at Walmart.
A can of Campbell's Chunky Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup was priced at $1.99, which also beat Target's and Walmart's prices.
A can of Campbell's soup at Ollie's.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
A can costs $2.69 at Target. At Walmart, it was on sale for $2.48, which was still more expensive than Ollie's.
I found some amazing bargains in the toiletry section, like this three-pack of Crest toothpaste for $3.99.
Toothpaste at Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
That three-pack would cost $5.79 at Target and was listed for $12.80 on Walmart's website, though it's likely cheaper in-store.
Ollie's also sold limited-edition seasonal Dove body wash, which may have been excess inventory or overstock from another store.
Dove body wash at Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Ollie's keeps its prices low by buying closeout, irregular, discontinued, and overstock merchandise at a discount.
The limited edition Dove body washes, which retailed for $4.99 at Ollie's, were no longer available at Target or Walmart. Other Dove body washes of the same size sell for $8.69 at Target and $7.97 at Walmart.
Home appliances like toaster ovens are expected to get more expensive due to tariffs, so I looked at Ollie's prices on Black and Decker products.
Kitchen appliances at Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
A Black and Decker Crisp 'N Bake air fryer and toaster oven was priced at $39.99 at Ollie's, while a regular four-slice toaster oven cost $29.99.
Target appeared to sell the same four-slice toaster oven for $29.99, matching Ollie's price, but it was difficult to compare prices for the air fryer since I didn't find exact matches on their websites. Perhaps the toaster-air fryer combination Ollie's had in stock was an older or discontinued model that is no longer sold in other locations.
Ollie's sold certified refurbished electronics like air conditioners, another way it keeps prices low.
Refurbished air conditioners at Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
There were also new air conditioners for sale, like a 10,000 BTU window unit from Danby priced at $279.99. The exact design I saw no longer appears to be sold by Danby, though the company offers other units with the same cooling power for $429.99 and above.
The housewares section sold rugs and home decor as well as actual flooring, such as laminate wood squares.
Flooring at Ollie's.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The raw flooring materials in the housewares section reminded me of Menard's, a Midwestern home-improvement chain frequented by contractors and DIYers and known for its mail-in rebate discounts.
Laminate chestnut oak flooring cost 97 cents per square foot, while 5-foot by 7-foot Zephyr Collection rugs cost $99.99.
In the toy section, Barbie dolls were cheaper than at Target and Walmart, a welcome discovery as toy prices are expected to rise due to tariffs.
Barbies at Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Barbies ranged from $8.99 to $12.99 at Ollie's, which was less expensive than at other stores.
For example, the "You Can Be Anything" teacher Barbie cost $8.99 at Ollie's compared to $14.99 at Target and $11.60 at Walmart.
Overall, I felt that Ollie's lived up to the hype.
An Ollie's water bottle at Ollie's.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Ollie's is a store with personality. The vibrant comic book-like signage and the treasure-hunting nature of sorting through the aisles made for an enjoyable outing. The prices were also lower than big-box competitors like Walmart and Target.
I wouldn't necessarily shop at Ollie's if I needed a specific brand of cereal or shampoo since the inventory varies based on what discounted merchandise is available, but if I just need some "Good stuff cheap" once Trump's tariffs take effect, I'd definitely shop there again.
When BI reached out to Walmart and Target about how their prices compare to Ollie's, a Walmart representative told BI: "At Walmart, we operate an every day low price model, in which we work to remove costs through efficiencies in our own operations and supply chain β to operate at an every day low cost (EDLC) so that we can in turn provide our customers with every low prices (EDLP). We constantly advocate for lower prices on behalf of our customers."
Representatives for Target and Ollie's did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Alexander Nesbitt β The Preservation Society of Newport County
Marble House was completed in 1892 as a summer home for William K. Vanderbilt and Alva Vanderbilt.
Built with half a million cubic feet of marble, it features 50 rooms and spans 140,000 square feet.
Scenes from the HBO show "The Gilded Age" were filmed in the historic Rhode Island home.
Alva Vanderbilt's 39th birthday present from her husband was a 140,000-square-foot summer "cottage" on the shores of Newport, Rhode Island.
As heir to the Vanderbilt family fortune during the Gilded Age, William K. Vanderbilt spared no expense in building Marble House for his wife. It was designed by Richard Morris Hunt, the same architect who worked on The Breakers, another expansive Newport mansion. Construction cost around $11 million in 1892, or about $387 million in today's dollars. The home's 500,000 cubic feet of marble alone cost about $7 million, or around $246 million today.
The marriage didn't last, but Marble House remained in her possession after their divorce. In addition to throwing extravagant balls and dinner parties, Alva Vanderbilt also hosted women's suffrage rallies on the property and leveraged her wealth to champion the cause. She even wrote the libretto for an operetta about women's suffrage, which was performed at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in 1915.
In recent years, the HBO show "The Gilded Age" has used Marble House as a film set.
I visited the expansive home in August 2024. Take a look inside this historic Newport mansion.
Completed in 1892, Marble House is a 50-room, 140,000-square-foot summer home that belonged to William K. Vanderbilt and Alva Vanderbilt.
Marble House.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The Preservation Society of Newport Country acquired the home in 1963 and turned it into a museum open to the public. Self-guided tours cost $25 per adult ticket and can be purchased on the Preservation Society's official website.
During the winter months, the mansion is only open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays, with daily tours restarting in mid-February.
William K. Vanderbilt gifted the home to Alva Vanderbilt for her 39th birthday.
William K. Vanderbilt and Alva Vanderbilt.
NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
William K. Vanderbilt was Cornelius Vanderbilt's grandson and heir to the family's railroad and steamship fortune during the Gilded Age. Alva Vanderbilt was a popular hostess in Newport.
When Alva Vanderbilt divorced her husband in 1895, she survived the scandal and kept Marble House and custody of their three children, Consuelo, William Kissam Jr., and Harold Stirling. She then married one of her neighbors in Newport, a financier named Oliver H.P. Belmont, in 1896.
After Belmont died in 1908, she became a leader in the women's suffrage movement, funding the National American Woman Suffrage Association and serving as president of the National Woman's Party.
Marble House's foyer featured walls, ceilings, and a grand staircase made of solid Italian marble, which Alva Vanderbilt chose for its warm hue.
The foyer and staircase at Marble House.
John W. Corbett β The Preservation Society of Newport County
"It would have been impossible to have used a pure white marble for the interior without having a mausoleum effect too cold for living comfort and joy," Alva Vanderbilt wrote of Marble House. "The soft gold brown fading off into delicate cream catches the sunlight by day or electric sparkle at night with a warm living glow."
The marble entrance hall led out to a portico overlooking the ocean.
A porch at Marble House.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The French doors in the entryway stayed open during the summer to provide a cooling ocean breeze.
The Dining Room was modeled after the Salon of Hercules at the Palace of Versailles.
The Dining Room.
Gavin Ashworth β The Preservation Society of Newport County
Alva Vanderbilt was born in Alabama and raised in France. Her French design sensibilities were evident throughout the house.
The purple marble used for the walls was imported from Algeria.
The marble walls of the Dining Room.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The walls were created from one solid slab of marble that was cut in half to create pieces with mirroring patterns, a technique called bookmatching.
Alva Vanderbilt commissioned dining-room chairs inspired by those used by King Louis XIV of France.
A dining-room chair.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Crafted from bronze and covered in gold, the chairs weighed 75 pounds each and required the help of a footman to be seated in.
The Gothic Room displayed medieval and Renaissance art that Alva Vanderbilt acquired from Emile Gavet, a French art collector.
The Gothic Room.
Gavin Ashworth β The Preservation Society of Newport County
The ribbed ceiling, stone mantlepiece, and wood floors were all imported from Paris.
Alva Vanderbilt purchased the art collection "en bloc," or all together in a set.
Stained-glass windows in the Gothic Room.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Buying art collections "en bloc" was popular during the Gilded Age as a way to quickly acquire a status symbol instead of taking generations to build a collection.
The Morning Room also functioned as a library.
The Morning Room.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The wooden bookcases, built in Paris by Allard and Sons, held books on architecture and European history that were original to the Vanderbilt family's collection.
The Grand Salon was also called the Gold Room because of the 22-karat gold leaf covering every wall.
The Grand Salon.
The Preservation Society of Newport County
"This room is really the epitome of the Gilded Age," Caitlin Emery, the research and interpretation coordinator at the Preservation Society of Newport County, said on the audio tour. "It is coated in gold and you have to imagine guests coming in on a summer evening with the sun going down. And the light picking up on all these gilded surfaces. The feel and the essence of the room would have been absolutely remarkable."
The Vanderbilts used it as a ballroom.
The Grand Salon.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
In 1895, the Vanderbilts hosted a ball to celebrate their daughter Consuelo Vanderbilt's engagement to Charles Spencer-Churchill, the ninth Duke of Marlborough. The party featured 300 guests and lasted until 5 a.m.
Consuelo Vanderbilt was secretly engaged to another man and resisted the arrangement, but she wrote that her mother "would not hesitate to shoot" her lover if she tried to run away with him.
"Alva wanted to secure for her daughter the one thing that money couldn't buy β a title," Emery said in the audio tour.
Theirs was a loveless marriage. After 26 years, Alva Vanderbilt testified that she had forced her daughter to marry the duke, which allowed her to receive an annulment in 1921.
The tour continued up the grand staircase on the second floor.
The second floor.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The mezzanine level featured two private studies, one for William K. Vanderbilt and one for Alva Vanderbilt.
Consuelo Vanderbilt's bedroom appeared as George Russell's room on the HBO show "The Gilded Age."
Consuelo Vanderbilt's bedroom.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Consuelo Vanderbilt moved to Marble House when she was 15. She described her room as "austere," writing that her mother had picked out every piece of furniture and "forbidden the intrusion of my personal possessions," according to the audio tour.
A wooden spiral staircase outside Consuelo Vanderbilt's bedroom led to the service areas at Marble House.
The servant staircase.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The Vanderbilts would never have used the servant staircase or gone into the service areas.
The Vanderbilts' youngest child, Harold Vanderbilt, was an award-winning sailor whose trophies were displayed in the Trophy Room.
The Trophy Room.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
When the Vanderbilts lived at Marble House, the Trophy Room was a set of two connected dressing rooms for Alva Vanderbilt and Consuelo Vanderbilt. The Preservation Society turned it into a room for Harold Vanderbilt's yachting trophies.
Decorated in the Louis XIV style, Alva Vanderbilt's bedroom featured a throne-like bed and silk wall hangings.
Alva Vanderbilt's bedroom.
The Preservation Society of Newport County
The carvings in the molding throughout the room featured nymphs and cherubs for a fairytale-like oasis.
The lilac silk wallpaper was an exact copy of the original.
Alva Vanderbilt's purple wallpaper.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The factory that made Alva Vanderbilt's original wallpaper is still in business in Lyons, France, and it kept the Marble House orders in its archives. In 1990, the Preservation Society ordered the exact same wallpaper from the factory to replace the room's existing fabric, which had faded to gold, according to the audio tour.
William K. Vanderbilt's bedroom was much smaller than his wife's.
William K. Vanderbilt's bedroom.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
His bedroom was decorated in the French Neoclassical style. After he and Alva Vanderbilt divorced, William K. Vanderbilt moved to France with his second wife.
The guest bed still featured its original 18th-century lace canopy.
The guest bedroom.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Marble House only had one guest bedroom because it was mainly built for family use.
The guest room was connected to a guest sitting room.
The guest sitting room.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The guest sitting room was furnished with 18th-century French art and furniture produced by Allard and Sons.
Downstairs, Marble House would receive deliveries of flowers, wine, and food through the service entrance.
The service entrance.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The stairs leading up to the rest of the house were locked to protect the Vanderbilts and their priceless possessions.
The Vanderbilts hired a French chef to staff the kitchen, which burned 30 tons of coal each summer.
The kitchen.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The Vanderbilts paid their French chef a salary of $10,000 per year, or around $375,000 in today's dollars.
Dishes were cleaned and stored in the scullery.
The scullery.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The sink was made of a soft mineral called soapstone to prevent the Vanderbilts' silver from being scratched or damaged during washing.
Alva Vanderbilt made a set of china emblazoned with "Votes for Women" which she used at women's suffrage rallies hosted at Marble House.
Alva Vanderbilt's "Votes for Women" dishes.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Alva Vanderbilt hosted women's suffrage conferences at Marble House in 1904 and 1914.
She is quoted as saying in her speeches: "Just pray to God. She will help you."
Replicas of the "Votes for Women" china were available for purchase in the Marble House gift shop.
The gift shop.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
A "Votes for Women" teapot cost $28 at the gift shop when I visited in August. The large plates cost $14.95 and the smaller plates retailed for $12.95.
The grounds of Marble House featured beautiful views of the ocean.
Ocean views at Marble House.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Marble House is located along Newport's Cliff Walk, a scenic walking tour of the area's famous mansions.
The grounds also included a Chinese Tea House which Alva Vanderbilt commissioned after the death of her second husband.
The Chinese Tea House on the grounds of Marble House.
European copper beech trees dotted the property in another nod to the European palaces that inspired the design of Marble House.
European copper beech trees on the grounds of Marble House.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Imported from Europe, the trees can grow 35 to 45 feet wide.
Marble House is more than just an opulent Gilded Age mansion β it tells the story of Alva Vanderbilt's remarkable life.
Marble House.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Built during a time of economic and technological advancement, Marble House symbolized the beginning of a new era where women could leave loveless marriages with their reputations intact and fight for the right to participate in America's democracy.
Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates is dating philanthropist Paula Hurd.
They were spotted together at tennis tournaments in 2022 and 2023.
Gates confirmed their relationship in February and named her in the acknowledgments of his memoir.
Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates and philanthropist Paula Hurd sat one row apart from each other at a tennis tournament in 2021. The following year, they were photographed cozying up to each other in the stands.
Gates and Hurd have gone public with their relationship since they were first spotted together, walking red carpets and attending sporting events like the 2024 Olympics.
Both were previously married. Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage and share three children. Hurd was married to Mark Hurd, a former CEO of Oracle and Hewlett-Packard with whom she shared two children, until his death in 2019.
Gates, whose net worth is estimated at $109.6 billion, has called Hurd his "serious girlfriend." Here's a timeline of their relationship.
Gates Ventures declined to comment when reached by Business Insider.
October 2021: Gates and Hurd, both avid tennis fans, ran in similar circles before they started dating.
Bill Gates (middle row, second from left) at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament. Hurd was seated in the row behind him on the left.
Mark J. Terrill/AP
At the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in 2021, Gates was seated one row in front of Hurd next to his ex-girlfriend, Ann Winblad.
March 2022: Hurd and Gates appeared cozy at the Indian Wells tennis tournament in California.
Paula Hurd and Bill Gates at the Indian Wells tennis tournament.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
Hurd and Gates attended several games of the tournament in Indian Wells, California, and appeared to lean into each other in the stands of a match between Paula Badosa of Spain and Maria Sakkari of Greece.
September 2022: Gates and Hurd were spotted together again at the Laver Cup tennis tournament in London.
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd at the Laver Cup.
Glyn KIRK/AFP via Getty Images
Gates and Hurd are both deeply involved in tennis. Gates has played in charity matches with pros such as Roger Federer, and Hurd chairs the Universal Tennis Foundation, which helps college players transition into professional athletes and supports youth and wheelchair tennis programs.
January 2023: They attended the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Bill Gates (bottom row, center) and Paula Hurd (bottom row, right) at the Australian Open tennis tournament.
DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images
Gates and Hurd sat in the front row of the men's singles final match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.
February 2023: The Daily Mail reported that the two were in a relationship.
Paula Hurd (top row, first on the left) and Mark Hurd (top row, second from the left) were seated behind Bill Gates (bottom row, first on the right) at a 2015 tennis tournament.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Citing anonymous sources, the Daily Mail reported that Gates and Hurd were dating and had been spotted sightseeing together in Sydney in January.
The Daily Mail also reported that Hurd and her late husband had been seated behind Gates at the BNP Paribas Open as far back as 2015.
April 2024: Gates and Hurd walked the red carpet together at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony.
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony.
Anna Webber/Variety via Getty Images
Gates and Hurd posed for photos together at the 2024 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony, nicknamed the "Oscars of science" for its recognition of scientific achievements.
July 2024: Hurd accompanied Gates to the Allen & Co. Sun Valley Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd at the Allen & Co. Sun Valley Media and Technology Conference.
Brendan McDermid/Reuters
The conference is known as a "billionaire summer camp" where top tech leaders and investors such as Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, and Warren Buffett attend industry sessions, play golf, and close deals.
August 2024: They watched gymnastics at the Paris Olympics.
Paula Hurd and Bill Gates at the Paris Olympics.
Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Hurd and Gates attended the women's gymnastics final and team final events. They were joined by Gates' daughter, Jennifer Gates, and her husband, Nayel Nassar, an equestrian who competed for Team Egypt at the same Olympics.
February 2025: Gates thanked Hurd in the acknowledgements of his memoir, "Source Code," and confirmed that they were dating.
Bill Gates during the promotion of his memoir, "Source Code."
NBC/Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images
Gates' memoir, "Source Code," chronicles his upbringing and the early days of Microsoft.
In the acknowledgements of "Source Code," Gates mentioned Hurd as one of the "dear and trusted friends" who "provided much-needed thoughtful and insightful feedback at critical stages in the writing" of his book.
In an appearance on "The Today Show" promoting his memoir, Gates said that he was "lucky to have a serious girlfriend named Paula."
"We're having fun, going to the Olympics and lots of great things," he said.
April 2025: They walked the red carpet at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony once again.
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd at the 11th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony.
Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images
Gates and Hurd attended the star-studded ceremony at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.
Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump, and Melania Trump at the Met Gala.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Donald Trump was a regular guest at the Met Gala beginning in the 1980s.
Melania Trump wore looks from designers who would go on to dress her as first lady.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner attended the event up until 2016.
Before he became president of the United States, New York real-estate magnate Donald Trump was a regular attendee of the Met Gala.
The annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute features a high-profile guest list curated by Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour. On a 2017 episode of "The Late Late Show with James Corden," Wintour revealed that she would not invite Trump back to the event.
In 2024, single tickets to "fashion's biggest night" cost $75,000 each, while tables cost $350,000. Last year's Met Gala raised almost $26 million, according to the museum.
Ahead of this year's event on Monday, May 5, here's a look back at the Trump family's Met Gala appearances through the years.
Throughout the 1980s, Donald Trump attended the Met Gala with his first wife, Ivana Trump.
Ivana Trump and Donald Trump pose for photos at the Met Gala.
Tom Gates/Archive Photos/Getty Images
Donald Trump married Ivana Trump in 1977. She gave birth to Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump before they divorced in 1989.
At the 1985 Met Gala, where the theme was "Costumes of Royal India," Donald Trump wore a black tuxedo, while Ivana Trump wore a purple leopard-print dress with a matching shawl.
Donald Trump appeared to wear similar tuxedos year after year, while Ivana Trump changed up her looks.
Donald Trump and Ivana Trump attend the Met Gala.
Tom Gates/Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images
For the "Dance" theme in 1986, Ivana Trump wore a sequined red dress with a sweetheart neckline and accessorized with a matching shawl and clutch.
Ivana Trump wore a strapless green gown accessorized with red jewelry, a red clutch, and red lipstick in 1987 while her then-husband carried a fur coat.
Donald Trump and Ivana Trump at the Met Gala.
Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images
The Met Gala celebrated the Costume Institute's 50th anniversary in 1987 with the theme "In Style."
They attended the Met Gala together for the last time in 1989.
Ivana Trump and Donald Trump attend Met Gala.
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Ivana Trump wore a black gown embellished with pearls for the gala's theme of "The Age of Napoleon: Costume from Revolution to Empire, 1789-1815." Donald Trump stuck with his black tuxedo and black bow tie, but this time, his white shirt featured black buttons.
Donald Trump went to the 1998 Met Gala with photographer Andrea Murray as his date.
Donald Trump and Andrea Murray attend the Met Gala.
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
In 1998, the theme of the event was "Cubism and Fashion." Donald Trump wore his standard tuxedo, while Murray wore a strapless black dress with a front slit and carried a beaded bag.
In 2003, he was joined by model Melania Knauss, who would eventually become his third wife.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump attend the Met Gala.
Steve Eichner/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images
Donald Trump and Melania Trump met at a party in New York City in 1998 while he was separated from his second wife, Marla Maples. They wed in 2005.
Melania Trump wore a cream micro-pleated dress and carried a shiny silver clutch for the 2003 Met Gala's "Party of the Year" theme. Donald Trump wore his usual tuxedo.
Melania Trump's black gown with bold cutouts matched the gala's 2004 theme, "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century."
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the Met Gala in New York City.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Donald Trump proposed to Melania Trump at the 2004 Met Gala with a 15-carat diamond ring valued at $1.5 million.
Ivanka Trump also made her Met Gala debut in 2004.
Ivanka Trump at the Met Gala.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Ivanka Trump chose a peach off-the-shoulder dress with butterfly-shaped lace cutouts and a thigh-high slit.
Melania Trump's Alexander McQueen mermaid gown in 2005 featured a tulle underskirt.
Melania Trump and Donald Trump at the Met Gala.
Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic/Getty Images
She also carried a Chanel clutch for the 2005 theme of "The House of Chanel."
Ivanka Trump accessorized a black ruffled dress with a matching scarf for the 2005 gala.
Ivanka Trump attends the Met Gala.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
She added diamond jewelry and black open-toe heels to complete the outfit.
While pregnant with their son, Barron, in 2006, Melania Trump wore a white empire-waist dress with a black sash.
Donald Trump and a pregnant Melania Trump attend the Met Gala.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
The theme of the Met Gala that year was "Anglomania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion."
Ivanka Trump's chocolate-brown dress featured a plunging neckline and bow at the waist.
Ivanka Trump attends the Met Gala in New York City.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
She wore her hair in an updo and carried a cream bag.
Donald Trump wore his traditional tuxedo again in 2007, while his wife shimmered in a gold fringe dress by Roberto Cavalli.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the Met Gala.
Brian ZAK/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
The 2007 Met Gala honored French designer Paul Poiret as "The King of Fashion."
In 2007, Ivanka Trump walked the Met Gala red carpet in a black-and-white gown by Jason Wu.
Ivanka Trump wears Jason Wu at the Met Gala.
Peter Kramer/Getty Images
Wu also designed Michelle Obama's 2009 inaugural ball gown.
At the 2008 Met Gala, Melania Trump wore a magenta Vera Wang dress, while Donald Trump wore a tuxedo.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the Met Gala.
BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
The theme of the 2008 Met Gala was "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy."
Ivanka Trump wore an ethereal white J. Mendel gown and jeweled headpiece at the superhero-themed event.
Ivanka Trump and designer Gilles Mendel at the Met Gala.
Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
She appeared on the red carpet with designer Gilles Mendel of J. Mendel.
Melania Trump embraced the 2009 Met Gala theme, "The Model As Muse," in Dolce & Gabbana.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump on the Met Gala red carpet.
CHANCE YEH/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Years later, Melania Trump wore a Dolce & Gabbana blazer in her first official White House portrait. She also garnered controversy in 2017 when she wore an expensive jacket from the designer to the G7 Summit that retails for $51,500 β more than most Americans make in a year.
Jared Kushner accompanied Ivanka Trump to the Met Gala for the first time that same year.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump attend the Met Gala.
BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Ivanka Trump and Kushner met at a networking lunch in 2007. They broke up in 2008 due to religious differences but rekindled their relationship three months later. After Ivanka Trump converted to Judaism, the pair got engaged in July 2009.
At the 2009 Met Gala, Ivanka Trump wore a pale Brian Reyes dress with touches of black throughout the outfit. Kushner appeared in a classic black suit with a black tie.
Melania Trump's navy ball gown at the 2010 Met Gala, designed by Christian Siriano, fit the theme of "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity."
Donald Trump and Melania Trump on the Met Gala red carpet.
BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
In 2017, Siriano told Time magazine that he would not dress Melania in her capacity as first lady because he did not support the political outlook she represented.
"I dress people that I can support and support what they're doing in their lives," he said. "That's why it's important to me and it should be important to every designer because the people that you put in your brand represent the brand."
Newlyweds Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner also attended the 2010 gala, where she wore a lilac gown by Atelier Versace.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner walk the red carpet at the Met Gala.
Melania Trump sparkled in a gold Reem Acra dress at the 2011 Met Gala honoring Alexander McQueen.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump pose for photos at the Met Gala.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images
She added a gold clutch and accessories from Alexander McQueen to complete the look.
In 2012, at Donald Trump and Melania Trump's last Met Gala appearance, her Marc Bouwer dress featured pointed shoulders and an asymmetrical hemline.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump attend the Met Gala.
Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic/Getty Images
The theme that year was "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations."
Ivanka Trump and Kushner skipped the Met Gala in 2011, but they were back in 2012.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump on the Met Gala red carpet.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Ivanka Trump wore a navy gown with cutouts and sheer panels by Peter Pilotto, while Kushner joined her in a tuxedo.
Ivanka Trump got into character for the "Punk: Chaos to Couture" theme in 2013 with dark streaks in her hair and a daring outfit by Juan Carlos Obando.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump attend the Met Gala.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for The Huffington Post
Ivanka Trump's ensemble featured a black top, a green floor-length skirt with a high slit, and gold spiked jewelry.
She wore a vibrant green Oscar de la Renta gown for the 2014 event, themed "Charles James: Beyond Fashion."
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump at the Met Gala.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Oscar de la Renta also co-chaired the 2014 Met Gala.
In 2015, Ivanka Trump wore a blue and white Prabal Gurung gown with a flowing train.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner attend the Met Gala.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images
The theme of the 2015 Met Gala was "China: Through the Looking Glass."
The last time Ivanka Trump and Kushner attended the Met Gala was in the midst of Trump's 2016 campaign.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump's last Met Gala appearance.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Ivanka Trump wore a red Ralph Lauren jumpsuit for the theme "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" just over a month after giving birth to her and Kushner's third child, Theodore James.
She and Kushner have not been back to the Met Gala since serving as advisors in Donald Trump's first White House administration.
On my latest Costco shopping trip, I tracked where every item I bought was from to see how much of my grocery list could be affected by tariffs.
Take a look at my monthly Costco restock.
I shop at Costco in New York City about once a month to stock up on groceries and household items.
Costco in New York City.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Manhattan's only Costco store is inside a larger shopping complex in East Harlem.
The first thing I put in my cart was mini fruit bars from That's It, which are produced in the US with both American and imported ingredients.
Fruit bars at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
While the bars are made in the US, according to the company's website That's It sources ingredients from the US as well as countries with "reciprocal" tariffs, including Peru (10%), Mexico (25%), the Philippines (17%), India (26%), Belgium (20%), Madagascar (47%), and Canada (25%).
The variety pack of 24 fruit bars costs $13.99.
The KIND bars I bought also combined domestic and imported products.
Kind bars at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The box said the bars were made in the USA "with domestic and imported ingredients."
"KIND products are manufactured in the US, with local sourcing where available as part of our commitment to sustainability," a KIND representative told BI.
A box of 22 KIND bars costs $20.
Kirkland's organic roasted seaweed snack was imported from South Korea, which Trump imposed a 25% tariff on.
Roasted seaweed at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I like crushing seaweed in salmon bowls or just eating it as a snack. A package of 10 boxes of seaweed costs $10.99.
Passion orange guava juice, also known as "POG," was produced in the US.
Passion orange guava juice at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I often use a splash of POG to flavor seltzer and smoothies. I bought two bottles, which cost $11.98.
Costco's Kirkland-brand lemonade didn't say where it was produced, but Costco's US branch distributes it.
Lemonade at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Costco uses different suppliers for its various house-brand Kirkland Signature products.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding sourcing its lemonade.
Two 3-quart bottles were priced at $6.29.
Barilla's packaging said their pasta was "made in the USA with USA and imported ingredients."
Barilla pasta at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The pasta variety pack, which contained farfalle, elbow macaroni, and rotini for easy weeknight dinners, was priced at $9.49.
Barilla didn't respond to a request for comment on where it imports its ingredients from.
Nature's Path organic granola, which I like to mix into yogurt, was labeled "Product of the USA."
Granola at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
"Nature's Path does not currently purchase any products internationally that would require 'product ofβ¦' labeling," Nature's Path wrote on their website.
A 35.3-ounce bag of pumpkin seed and flax granola retailed for $8.99.
This tomato medley was grown in Mexico and distributed by a Canadian company. Before his "Liberation Day" announcement, Trump had already imposed a 25% tariff on both countries.
Tomatoes at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Mexico and Canada were not included in Trump's April list of "reciprocal" tariffs because he'd already announced a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian goods that aren't compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
The 2-pound package of tomatoes retailed for $7.99.
Individual packets of mashed avocado were imported from Mexico.
Avocado mash at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The package of 16 individual avocado cups costs $12.99. I most often use them to make avocado toast.
The raspberries I added to my cart were another product of Mexico.
Raspberries at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The 12-ounce container retailed for $5.99.
My favorite mini cucumbers were from Canada, which, like Mexico, had previously received a 25% tariff.
Mini cucumbers at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The snack-sized cucumbers from Mucci Farms cost $5.99 for a 1.5-pound bag.
The purple grapes Costco had in stock were from Chile, where Trump imposed a 10% tariff.
Purple grapes at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Three pounds of purple grapes were priced at $7.49.
Costco's bananas were imported from Ecuador, which was also hit with a 10% tariff.
Bananas at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I bought two bunches, which totaled $3.98.
The Kirkland organic frozen broccoli I bought came from Ecuador, as well.
Frozen broccoli at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
This pack of four microwavable 1-pound bags of frozen broccoli, priced at $9.49, makes it easy to prepare a side of vegetables for any meal quickly.
I picked up a pineapple from Costa Rica, which was levied with a 10% tariff.
Pineapples at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The pineapple cost $3.99.
Baby carrots were among the few produce items I added to my cart, grown in the US.
Baby carrots at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The organic baby carrots came in two 32-ounce bags and cost $6.99.
My go-to Pink Lady apples were grown in the US, as well.
Apples at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The 4-pound bag cost $6.49.
A twin pack of Stroehmann Dutch Country whole wheat bread was baked in the US.
Bread at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Stroehmann is a subsidiary of Bimbo Bakeries USA, the largest commercial baking company in the US that also owns Sara Lee, Little Bites, and Entenmann's, among other brands.
Two 24-ounce loaves cost $5.49.
Nasoya tofu said it was made in the US with "100% North American soybeans," which could mean they're sourced from other North American countries.
Tofu at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Nasoya did not immediately respond to an inquiry regarding sourcing its soybeans.
I use extra-firm tofu as a meatless protein in numerous recipes in my rotation.
Four packages of tofu came in a box and sold for $6.79.
Costco's house brand of two-dozen cage-free large eggs was from the US.
Eggs at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
When I shopped at Costco in February, I had to rush to grab the last carton of eggs due to supply-chain issues amid the avian flu epidemic.
Thankfully, the refrigerated section was stocked with an ample supply of eggs this time.
The carton I bought cost $7.69.
Lactaid lactose-free milk was American-made.
Milk at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I prefer buying lactose-free milk because it doesn't spoil as quickly. A gallon of Lactaid 2% milk costs $5.59.
The only non-food items I bought were American-made Kleenex tissues and a bouquet grown in Colombia, subject to a 10% tariff.
Flowers at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The tissues cost $21.49, and the flower bouquet costs $17.99.
Out of the 23 items I purchased, at least 12 were imported or contained imported ingredients.
The author's shopping cart at Costco.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I spent $218.28 on about a month's worth of groceries. Roughly half of my cart was full of items from countries subject to the new "reciprocal" tariffs, which shows me how far-reaching Trump's trade policies are and how much my grocery bill may increase.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Editor's note: April 29, 2025 β This story has been updated to include comments from KIND.
Inventor Samuel F. B. Morse spent summers at his Locust Grove Estate in New York's Hudson Valley.
The 14,000-square-foot Italianate villa, built in 1852, has 45 rooms over six floors.
It was purchased in 1901 by the Young family and has remained uniquely preserved.
When Samuel F. B. Morse wasn't creating Morse code, inventing the telegraph, or painting portraits, he was relaxing on the grounds of his Locust Grove Estate in upstate New York.
Located about 80 miles outside New York City in Poughkeepsie, Locust Grove was built in 1852 on a bluff with views of the Hudson River below. The 14,000-square-foot Italianate villa has a total of 45 rooms over six floors.
Morse, his wife Sarah Elizabeth Griswold Morse, and their four children spent every summer there until his death in 1872. (Morse also had three adult children from his first marriage to Lucretia Walker, who died in 1825.)
The home was then rented to a wealthy local couple, William and Martha Young, who purchased it in 1901 and spent about $15,000 renovating the interior and installing modern amenities like electricity and central heat, according to Locust Grove's official website.
The Youngs' daughter, Annette, recognized the estate's historical significance and established a nonprofit that continues to preserve and maintain it. Locust Grove opened to the public in 1979.
While the grounds are open year-round, tours of the home are available on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays from April through December. They cost $20 per person.
"It's a really unusually preserved house, so people that are interested in art and history and architecture can always find something here," Ken Snodgrass, director and curator of the Locust Grove Estate, told me on my tour in 2023.
Take a look inside Locust Grove.
Located in Poughkeepsie, New York, Locust Grove once belonged to Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of Morse code and the telegraph.
Locust Grove in the Hudson Valley.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The estate is situated on 200 acres of land. During my springtime visit in 2023, I enjoyed walking through the fragrant gardens to reach the house.
Gardens at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The home didn't look very big from the outside, but my tour guide, Ken Snodgrass, described Locust Grove as "deceptively large" with 45 rooms spanning 14,000 square feet.
The exterior of Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Morse worked with architect Alexander Jackson Davis to design Locust Grove in an Italianate style inspired by Italian villas, with decorative arches and a wraparound veranda.
The wraparound veranda at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Locust Grove's interior is unique because it's almost exactly as the Young family left it, as opposed to other historic homes that have been restored by curators, according to Snodgrass.
The entryway at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Our first stop after the entryway was the dining room decorated with portraits of members of the Young family, who purchased the home from the Morses in 1901.
Locust Grove's dining room.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Just off the dining room was the pantry, where some of the estate's 14 full-time staff members plated meals brought up on a dumbwaiter elevator from the basement kitchen.
Locust Grove's pantry.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The drawing room was used to entertain guests before and after dinner. The Youngs also hosted dances and concerts here since the furniture was lightweight and easy to rearrange.
Locust Grove's drawing room.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
In the tea room, my tour guide said that Locust Grove residents and guests enjoyed afternoon tea with a silver tea set from Tiffany and Co.
The tea room at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The music room, another entertaining space, features color-corrected scans of the original wallpaper from 1908.
The music room at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
This receiving room was used for lounging with family and close friends. Martha Young also hosted card games here twice a week.
The receiving room at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The library at Locust Grove was decorated in an Italian Gothic style, and I loved the collection of 75 teapots atop the shelves.
Locust Grove's library.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The second floor contained three family bedrooms and three guest bedrooms, one of which included a dollhouse made for the Youngs' daughter Annette by her uncle in 1895.
A guest bedroom at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
The spacious primary tower bedroom, the largest bedroom in the home, featured gorgeous views of the Hudson and portraits of the Young children over the bed.
The primary bedroom at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I couldn't believe how large the billiards room was. It functioned as a playroom of sorts, where guests played on a pool table from 1895 and listened to music on a phonograph.
The billiards room on the second floor of Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Our last stop on the tour was the basement kitchen, where staff prepared meals on a wood-burning stove until it was upgraded with coal in 1910 and gas burners in 1920.
The kitchen at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Between the estate's 14 bedrooms and five bathrooms, every day was laundry day at Locust Grove.
The laundry room at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
Next to the laundry room, the servants' dining room and lounge was usually full of staff members writing letters, mending clothes, or carrying out other household tasks.
The servants' room at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
After my tour, I visited the museum and gallery at the estate's visitor center, which featured artifacts from the development of Morse's inventions, as well as some of his paintings.
Telegraph cables on display at Locust Grove.
Talia Lakritz/Business Insider
I enjoyed learning about Locust Grove's fascinating history, touring the perfectly preserved interiors, and taking in the stunning Hudson Valley views. I can see why Morse's family wanted to come back year after year.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement photo.
Alexi Lubomirski/Getty Images
The British royal family is known for using their portraits to mark special occasions.
Royal family members are often photographed but cannot take selfies with the public.
Here are 25 royal family portraits from the 1930s to now.
Members of the British royal family surely have many talents, but if there's one skill they've mastered, it's posing for pictures.
Wherever they go, professional photographers and enthusiastic fans with iPhones alike clamor to snap a photo of their every move (though royals aren't allowed to take selfies with members of the public).
From official portraits in Buckingham Palace to informal photocalls while they're on vacation, here are 25 portraits of the royal family from the 1930s until now.
1936: Britain's Queen Elizabeth, center, poses with her two daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, in the garden of the Royal Lodge at Windsor, England.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth, center, with her two daughters, Princess Elizabeth (left) and Princess Margaret (right), in June 1936.
Getty Images
1944: Princess Elizabeth celebrates her 18th birthday in the English countryside.
Princess Elizabeth celebrated her 18th birthday in the English countryside in April 1944, surrounded by friends and family.
AP Photo
1947: Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, on their wedding day.
The official wedding picture of Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in November 1947.
AP Photo
1948: King George VI of Great Britain and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, on their 25th wedding anniversary.
A formal portrait of King George VI of Great Britain and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, on their silver wedding anniversary in April 1948.
AP Photo
1950: Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip with their baby daughter Princess Anne and son Prince Charles taken after the baby's christening at Buckingham Palace.
Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip with their baby daughter, Princess Anne, and son, Prince Charles, in October 1950.
Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
1951: Princess Margaret on her 21st birthday.
Princess Margaret in a white gown on her 21st birthday in August 1951.
AP Photo
1957: Queen Elizabeth II wears a white satin evening gown with a band and star of the Order of the Garter.
Queen Elizabeth II wore a white satin evening gown in March 1957.
AP Photo/Baron
1960: Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones with members of their wedding party at Buckingham Palace.
The bridal group at the wedding of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960.
Getty Images
1973: Princess Anne and Mark Phillips on their wedding day at Buckingham Palace.
The wedding of Anne, Princess Royal, to Mark Phillips in 1973.
Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
1980: Princess Anne with her husband and their son Peter in England.
Her Royal Highness Princess Anne with her husband, Captain Mark Phillips, and their son Peter in July 1980.
AP Photo
1981: Prince Charles and Princess Diana pose with family members in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day.
Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, married in July 1981.
AP Photo
1984: A family portrait with Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince William, and Prince Harry.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, posed for a family portrait in October 1984 with their sons, Prince William, right, and Prince Harry.
AP Photo
1997: Members of the British Royal Family sit for an official portrait in the white drawing room at Windsor Castle after Prince William's confirmation at St. George's Chapel.
Members of the British Royal Family sat for an official portrait in the white drawing room at Windsor Castle after Prince William's confirmation in 1997.
POOL New/Reuters
2002: Prince Charles with his sons Prince William and Prince Harry during their annual skiing holiday in the Swiss Alps on March 29, 2002, in Klosters, Switzerland.
Britain's Prince Charles posed for a photograph with his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, during their annual skiing holiday in the Swiss Alps in March 2002.
Julian Herbert/Getty Images
2005: Prince Charles and his new bride Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, with their families.
The Prince of Wales and his bride, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, with their families in April 2005.
Hugo Burnand/Pool/Getty Images
2011: Prince William and Kate Middleton with their families on their wedding day.
Prince William and his bride, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, posed for an official photograph, with their families, on the day of their wedding in April 2011.
Handout/Reuters
2013: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their son, Prince George, and pets, Lupo and Tilly, at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
William and Kate soon after the birth of their son, Prince George, in 2013.
Michael Middleton/Getty Images
2015: The royal family attends a state banquet to honor China's President Xi Jinping's state visit.
Camilla, Charles, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince William, and Kate in 2015.
WPA Pool/Getty Images
2016: Prince William and Kate Middleton vacationing in the French Alps with their children, Princess Charlotte and Prince George.
Kate Middleton and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, with their children, Princess Charlotte and Prince George, enjoyed a short private break skiing in the French Alps in 2016.
ALP/MediaPunch/AP
2017: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for their official engagement photos at Frogmore House in Windsor.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle posed for one of two official engagement photos at Frogmore House in December 2017.
Alexi Lubomirski via Getty Images
2018: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's official wedding portrait.
The official wedding portrait of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Alexi Lubomirski/Handout via Reuters
2019: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose with their newborn son, Archie, at Windsor Castle.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, posed for a photo with their newborn baby son, Archie, in St George's Hall.
DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images
2021: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce their second pregnancy more casually, after officially stepping back from official royal duties in March 2020.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's 2021 pregnancy announcement.
Cindy Crawford with Holocaust survivor Ella Mandel.
Bryce Thompson
Photographer Bryce Thompson paired Holocaust survivors with celebrities in intimate portraits.
The "Borrowed Spotlight" project aims to leverage celebrities' fame to amplify survivors' stories.
Celebrity participants included Cindy Crawford, Barbara Corcoran, Sheryl Sandberg, and Billy Porter.
Fashion photographer Bryce Thompson has worked with supermodels and shot numerous magazine covers and ad campaigns. For his latest photo series, he trained his camera on a different subject: aging Holocaust survivors.
The "Borrowed Spotlight" project pairs celebrities and business leaders with Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, capturing heartfelt moments of connection and amplifying their testimonies to combat antisemitism and all forms of hate.
The photos are on display for a limited time at Detour Gallery in New York City, but are also available as a coffee table book. Proceeds from the book and print sales benefit Holocaust education and resources for survivors.
Take a look at photos from "Borrowed Spotlight."
Fashion photographer Bryan Thompson took intimate portraits of celebrities meeting Holocaust survivors for a project entitled "Borrowed Spotlight."
Photographer Bryce Thompson.
Bryce Thompson
Thompson didn't introduce the celebrities and survivors before the photo shoot so that he could photograph their first moments meeting each other.
"This initiative paired celebrities and notable individuals from diverse industries with survivors not just to spread the message but to engage directly β listening, questioning, and sharing in these profound experiences," he wrote in the coffee table book's introduction.
The project aims to leverage celebrities' fame to amplify the stories of aging Holocaust survivors.
"Pretty Little Liars" actor Ashley Benson with Joseph Samuels.
Bryce Thompson
Around 220,850 Jewish Holocaust survivors are still alive today, and most are over 85 years old, according to the 2025 Global Demographic Report on Jewish Holocaust survivors published by the Claims Conference.
Photos from "Borrowed Spotlight" will be on display at Detour Gallery in New York City through April 27.
The "Borrowed Spotlight" coffee table book retails for $360, with the proceeds going to Holocaust education programs.
David Schwimmer with Elizabeth Wilf.
Bryce Thompson
Proceeds from a private auction of prints from the series will also be donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and SelfHelp, an organization that provides trauma-informed care to Holocaust survivors in New York.
Cindy Crawford wrote the foreword to the photo book and posed with 98-year-old Ella Mandel.
Cindy Crawford with Ella Mandel.
Bryce Thompson
Crawford wrote that meeting Mandel, who was 13 years old when German forces invaded Poland in 1939, was "profoundly inspiring."
"She shared the heartbreaking losses she endured: her sister, her father, her mother, and another sister β all gone. She was the only survivor in her family," Crawford wrote. "She told me how, at her lowest point, her friend's brother told her, 'No more death. We're getting married.' They did, and they built a life together in the United States."
Thompson photographed tears streaming down Kat Graham's face as she listened to Yetta Kane's story.
Kat Graham with Yetta Kane.
Bryce Thompson
Kane's blonde hair and blue eyes, which the Nazis viewed as traits of a superior race, allowed her to work as a courier for Jewish resistance groups known as partisans when she was 8 years old.
"We're here to tell the story," Kane told Graham, an actor best known for her role on "The Vampire Diaries." "That's what's important."
Scooter Braun sat down for a conversation with Joseph Alexander, 103, whose number tattoo from a concentration camp was visible on his arm.
Scooter Braun with Joseph Alexander.
Bryce Thompson
Born in 1922, Alexander endured the Warsaw Ghetto and 12 concentration camps, including Auschwitz and Dachau, before he was liberated in 1945. He was the only surviving member of his family out of his parents and five siblings.
Alexander visited Dachau in 2023 to mark the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the camp.
"I want to be in this shape at 103," Braun said as he sat with Alexander.
Former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg shared a tender moment with George Elbaum.
Sheryl Sandberg with George Elbaum.
Bryce Thompson
Elbaum's mother helped him evade Nazi persecution by paying Catholic families to take him in and conceal his Jewish identity.
"It's an amazing thing to go through what you've been through, or to see life and be able to be an optimist," Sandberg told Elbaum.
"It is the only way I survived it," he said.
Tova Friedman told Barbara Corcoran that she survived Auschwitz at age 6 because a gas chamber malfunctioned.
Barbara Corcoran, a real-estate entrepreneur, with Tova Friedman.
Bryce Thompson
"We, the survivors, have an obligation not only to remember those that were slaughtered so ruthlessly, but also to warn and teach that hate begets hate and killing more killing," Friedman said.
Thompson photographed Billy Porter with Bella Rosenberg, who was one of only 140 Jews to survive from her Polish hometown of 20,000.
Billy Porter with Bella Rosenberg.
Bryce Thompson
Porter, a Broadway star, wrote on Instagram that Rosenberg's story "is a powerful reminder of what can happen when hate goes unchecked and why we must remain vigilant in protecting the most vulnerable in our society."
"If you don't tell your story, people won't know," 95-year-old Gabriella Karin told Jennifer Garner.
Jennifer Garner with Gabriella Karin.
Bryce Thompson
A 25-year-old lawyer hid Karin and her family for nine months in his one-bedroom apartment across the street from a Nazi outpost.
Thompson hopes that the photo series helps combat modern antisemitism and all forms of prejudice and hate.
Jenna Dewan, a dancer and actress, with Risa Igelfeld.
Bryce Thompson
"These survivors stand as living testaments, urging us never to forget that empathy and action are often the difference between life and oblivion," Thompson wrote.
The coffin of Pope Francis was carried during the funeral Mass on April 26. More than 250,000 people gathered to pay their respects to the late pontiff, Vatican authorities said.
Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Pope Francis, the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church, died on April 21 at the age of 88.
Trump, Macron, Zelenskyy, and other world leaders attended the funeral Mass on Saturday.
Over 250,000 people gathered to pay their respects to the late pontiff, Vatican authorities said.
After 12 years of serving as the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88.
Thousands of people paid their respects as the pontiff's body lay in state inside St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City in the days before his burial in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Saturday's funeral Mass was attended by world leaders, including President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
A new pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals in a papal election known as the conclave.
Photos show powerful moments from the late pope's funeral proceedings.
After Pope Francis' death was announced on Easter Monday, mourners assembled for an evening rosary prayer in St. Peter's Square.
A rosary prayer in suffrage of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Visitors left flowers, candles, and photos of the late pope.
A memorial for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square.
Christoph Reichwein/picture alliance via Getty Images
The late pope lay in state in an open wooden coffin on Tuesday at Casa Santa Marta, his papal residence.
Cardinals prayed at the Chapel of Santa Marta.
Simone Risoluti Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
On Wednesday, his body was transferred to St. Peter's Basilica, one of the holiest sites in the Catholic church, for three days of public viewing.
Pope Francis' body was transferred to the Basilica at St. Peter's Square.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
His coffin was placed in front of the Altar of the Confession, which sits above what is believed to be the tomb of Saint Peter, one of Jesus' Twelve Apostles.
Pope Francis' coffin at St. Peter's Basilica.
Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images
After leading the procession to the Basilica, the Cardinals conducted a service featuring liturgical readings and hymns.
Cardinals paid their respects to Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica.
ALESSANDRO DI MEO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Tens of thousands of people waited in line to enter St. Peter's Basilica and pay their respects to Pope Francis.
Pope Francis lay in state inside St. Peter's Basilica.
Picture Alliance via Getty Images
On Saturday, Pope Francis' funeral Mass took place in front of St. Peter's Basilica.
A photograph taken from St Peter Basilica shows the large crowds that gathered for the funeral Mass of late Pope Francis.
Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images
Vatican authorities said more than 250,000 people watched on during the ceremony, which included Gregorian chants and Latin verses.
Crowds of people gathered during the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
Ernesto S. Ruscio/Getty Images
Dozens of world leaders attended the Holy event, including Trump. Macron, Zelenskyy, and Biden also attended.
President Trump, who attended with his wife Melania Trump, was among the world leaders in attendance.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
After the Mass, the coffin carrying the Pope's body was brought to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, his final resting place.
The popemobile delivered the late pope's body to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome for burial.
Alejandro Martinez Gonzalez /Hans Lucas via AFP/Getty Images