Jay-Z’s REFORM Alliance Casino Night and Gala in Atlantic City drew major star power, but a photo of him and Beyoncé seated at a table with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner has sparked backlash across social media.
On Sept. 13, Jay-Z joined REFORM Alliance partners Michael Rubin and Meek Mill to host the second annual Casino Night Gala at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, raising more than $20 million for criminal justice reform with the help of a star-studded guest list, NBC News reported. Kevin Hart, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft were among the celebrities in attendance, with several taking the stage to perform, including The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Ice Spice, Quavo, and DJ Khaled.
The night was filled with high-stakes gambling and A-list mingling, but what grabbed the most attention online was a photo of Jay-Z and Beyoncé seated at a table with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, sparking outrage among many fans.
Photos posted by Beyoncé fan page Abenaissance on X showed the Carters seated with Trump and Kushner, alongside other celebrity sightings, including Tom Brady and Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez. After the image drew backlash, the fan page eventually muted the post and disabled comments, but it didn’t stop many from sounding off with reposts.
“Everyone is a capitalist, none of these celebs truly care about y’all struggles, yes, they are all part of the elite. Hope that helps,” one person tweeted.
“Laughing at all y’all that put Jay-Z and Beyoncé on a pedestal. They all worship the all-mighty dollar,” another user wrote.
Some critics even speculated whether Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter era signaled a shift toward more conservative American themes, with a few going as far as to label her a MAGA supporter.
“I wonder why no one’s calling her maga for hanging out with them…” one user tweeted.“This exaggerated USA aesthetic was always weird but soooo obvious…” another user quipped.
Jay-Z’s REFORM Alliance is a bipartisan organization that has worked with both Democrats and Republicans at the state and federal levels to advance criminal justice reform, with a primary focus on transforming probation and parole laws nationwide. Beyoncé, meanwhile, has long supported Democratic candidates, campaigning publicly for Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, and others, support that drew backlash from conservatives last year. Her presence alongside her husband in his
bipartisan efforts is hardly surprising. Yet, the photo of the Carters seated with Trump and Kushner has prompted fresh speculation about their political leanings, a reminder of the great influence celebrity appearances hold in political spaces.RELATED CONTENT: Marc Lamont Hill Recounts 2024 Stage Attack While Upholding Restorative Justice Principles