&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Dystopian' and furry-themed gala hosted in Trump's Mar-a-Lago, sparks ridicule")
A private celebration at Trump's private Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, in one of its first charitable events of 2026 last week, has fueled criticism and mockery. The event was the American Humane Society’s 15th Annual Hero Dog Awards. What caught attention were pictures of guests and performers in elaborate 18th-century style clothing and dog masks. These went viral on social media, with many terming it as the “decadence” characteristic of the late stages of empire or ruling class. California Governor Gavin Newsom called it “dictator cosplay”. The event was a fundraising gala to generate donations for canine causes. Videos from the event show masked dancers in Rococo-era costumes. Donald Trump reportedly made an appearance and spoke at the event.
The event left many online confused, and with many comparing it to a "furry party"- a term associated with people who enjoy anthropomorphic animal costumes. Some people described the visuals as “creepy, weird”, or reminiscent of scenes from a dystopian Stanley Kubrick film, Eyes Wide Shut. While others liken it to the elite moral disinhibition of late Roman aristocracy and French court culture before the French Revolution.
While the cause was to celebrate and honour “hero dogs” such as service, therapy, and working dogs, the visuals of Trump's resort and unusual costumed entertainment became unsettling when combined with ritualised power display. California Governor Gavin Newsom posted, “So Squid Games is real?”
Months before this furry-themed party, Trump threw a Great Gatsby-themed party at the club as millions of Americans prepared for the possible expiration of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the historically long government shutdown. The halloween themed party was inspired by F Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 classic 'The Great Gatsby', a tragic Jazz Age novel of a millionaire and the American Dream.
