Donald Trump stepped back into the spotlight on Sunday night when he hosted a star-studded Halloween bash at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach – where he was seen mingling with several celebrity supporters, including model Paulina Gretzky and her pro golfer fiance Dustin Johnson.
The former President, 75, looked to be in his element as he greeted guests at the annual event, which was attended by dozens of costume-clad fans – although Trump himself chose not to dress up, instead sporting his signature navy suit and red tie.
Gretzky, 32, and Johnson, 37,m on the other hand went all out with their costumes, both opting for sporty-inspired attire for the occasion.
Model Gretzky channeled Pamela Anderson in a Baywatch costume that featured the iconic red bathing suit, which she wore with a matching windbreaker and nude tights, while her partner Johnson switched out his golf gear to dress up as a pro tennis player in a white polo shirt and matching sweatband.
Say cheese! Former President Donald Trump was seen partying with model Paulina Gretzky and her pro golfer fiance Dustin Johnson at his annual Mar-a-Lago Halloween bash on Sunday
Old friends: Trump, 75, was seen pulling Gretzky, 32, into a warm embrace during the event, for which he opted not to wear a costume
Beach babe: Gretzky channeled Pamela Anderson in her Baywatch costume, which included the iconic red bathing suit, a matching windbreaker and nude tights
Praise: Trump told Gretzky ‘you look great’ as he kissed her on both cheeks
Trump – who relocated to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House in January of this year – was not seen with his wife Melania, 51, or their son Barron, 15, during the event, however he certainly wasn’t short of company or support as he made his way around the party.
Instagram posts shared by attendees show Trump being greeted with a round of applause as he approached Gretzy, Johnson, and their friends – before he pulled the model into a warm hug, kissing her on both cheeks as he welcomed the group to the party.
‘Hi Paulina, you look great,’ he told the model while embracing her – before giving Johnson a fist bump.
One Instagram Story video posted by Gretzky’s longtime friend, model and hairstylist Jeremy Cohen, showed Trump approaching the group as they applauded while one man in the background could be heard saying: ‘How you doing President Trump?
‘The best guy right there, the best man in the world, President Trump.’
Standing ovation: The businessman was met with a round of applause from Gretzky and her friends as he approached their table
Old pals: After embracing Gretzky, Trump fist bumped her fiance Johnson, 37, who has played golf with the former President on a number of occasions in the past
Joker: Gretzky and her friends shared several posts from inside the party – including one snap of a party goer wearing a spoof version of AOC’s ‘Tax the Rich’ Met Gala dress
Going all out: Videos from inside the party revealed a host of fun decorations – including several large toadstools – as well as a funky lighting display
Before heading off to spend time with his other guests, Trump happily posed up for a photo with Gretzky, Johnson, and their pals – including Cohen, designer Kristina Melnichenko, and real estate investment executive Matthew Forssman – flashing a thumbs up at the camera while the group gathered around him.
The costume-clad guests also shared several videos and pictures from inside the party, documenting the lavish decor, which included mushroom-shaped center pieces on the tables, neon lighting displays on the ceilings and a large number of waiters and chefs serving drinks, food, and shots to attendees.
One anonymous attendee also caught the eye of Gretzky’s pals with her spoof Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez costume, which saw her putting a droll spin on the ‘Tax the Rich’ dress worn by the progressive Squad member to this year’s Met Gala.
The woman’s gown featured the same silhouette as AOC’s controversial design – but the wearer had crossed out the word ‘tax’ and replaced it with ‘marry’ in a tongue-in-cheek twist on the original.
Trump’s Halloween celebrations this year are a world away from the festivities that he and Melania hosted at the White House in 2020, when they held a socially-distanced trick-or-treating event amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead of personally handing out candy to children as they had done in years past, the couple waved down to a group of costume-clad kids from outside the White House, grinning happily as a parade of angels, astronauts, pirates, cartoon characters, skeletons, witches, unicorns and a tyrannosaurus rex walked past them.
This year however, Trump was able to take a much more hands-on approach to the spooky holiday, although he appears to have celebrated it without his wife by his side.
Melania has taken a big step back from the spotlight in the months since Trump’s presidency came to an end, choosing to shy away from the public eye, while her husband has continued to make regular appearances.