It’s no secret that incoming president Donald Trump and the rest of his family are extremely wealthy – but apparently, it didn’t stop Marla Maples (Trump’s ex-wife) and daughter Tiffany Trump from asking a hairstylist to provide free services on the upcoming inauguration day in exchange for “exposure.”
The Washington Post reports that Tricia Kelly, a freelance stylist in the D.C. area, is claiming that she was asked to style the tresses of both Maples and Trump for inauguration day by Maples’s assistant. After explaining the cost of her services – which included a $150 travel fee – Maples’s assistant informed her that there was only a $300 budget for hair and makeup for both women. After a few exchanges, Kelly agreed to be paid $200 – except that offer was soon rescinded and replaced by another: Kelly would do Maples’s and Trump’s hair for free, in exchange for Maples to mention her on all her social media feeds.
For obvious reasons, Kelly declined the job. She told the Washington Post, “There are people who make far less than they do who pay full price,” she said. “It seemed like they were trying to see how much they could get for free based on their names.”
Yikes. While freebies like these wouldn’t necessarily be illegal for Maples and Trump to accept (only the president and his immediate family have to report all gifts sent to them valued over $300), it doesn’t exactly portray them in a positive light considering their financial situation.
The situation gets even more murky – according to the Post, Kelly’s client who originally put her in touch with Maples reached out to her after she declined the job, and she was not happy. She defended Maples, saying she was worried about her financial situation now that she was no longer receiving child-support payments. “You are messing with the president of the United States,” she wrote to Kelly. “She is used to a certain lifestyle and you don’t understand that.”