Mayor Mamdani, wife Rama Duwaji to skip 2026 Met Gala, sources say
New York City's first couple won't be attending this year's Met Gala. Sources told CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer that Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji will skip the May 4th fashion event.
Previous mayors have attended the event, which typically draws some of the biggest celebrities in the world. It has been dubbed "fashion's biggest night."
Former Mayor Mike Bloomberg has been a regular attendee for years. In 2021, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio attended the gala, along with his wife and son. A year later, then-Mayor Eric Adams attended, wearing a jacket sporting the message "End gun violence."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attended in 2021, wearing a gown with the message "Tax the Rich" written on it. Last year, the House Ethics Committee found she "impermissibly accepted gifts" in connection with her appearance at the gala and paid below market rate for the dress; she was ordered to pay an additional $2,700 for the gown.
It's perhaps not a surprise that Mamdani will not attend the Met Gala, given that it typically draws some incredibly wealthy people as attendees. This year, for example, the show and benefit are being sponsored by Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos.
The mayor has called for raising taxes on the wealthiest people and corporations to help pay for his initiatives.
The gala is a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. In 2025, the cost for an individual ticket was $75,000, and tables for multiple guests started at $350,000.
This year, the co-chairs will be Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour. The exhibition the Met Gala will be celebrating, which typically inspires the dress code for the evening, is entitled "Costume Art."
