Lara Trump stepped into the stage at Mar-a-Lago during its exclusive New Year’s Eve celebration, delivering a performance that rivalled pop stars as she sang Tom Petty’s iconic anthem “I Won’t Back Down.” The former first daughter released the song online earlier in the year, and it was surely one of the highlights of Mar-a-Lago’s New Year’s Eve soiree-which included high-profile guests Elon Musk, JD Vance, and the former president himself.
As Lara sang the classic rock song, the crowd, including Musk who was seen holding his son X on his shoulders watched with rapt attention. Former President Donald Trump, standing beside Musk, seemed equally focused on the song, showing little movement but wearing a contented expression. Melania Trump stood close by, maintaining a similarly composed demeanour. Other guests, including Vance, were nodding, and grinning as they listened to the music, with some raising their arms in appreciation. Many of the guests captured the moment on their phones.
12/31/2024 | Mar-a-Lago
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!🇺🇸🦅 pic.twitter.com/WL76KDN9kK
— Dan Scavino Jr.🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino) January 1, 2025
This year’s private event, with 300 guests, included several high-profile personalities, such as Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Bettina Anderson, who made their public debut as a couple at the party. The event saw familiar faces like Musk, who walked the red carpet with his son, and US Senator Ted Cruz alongside his wife Heidi.
On his way into the event, Trump addressed the press for a brief time, wishing President Biden well but noting that the polling gap between them is very significant. He also seemed confident in his Cabinet nominees and said he supports House Speaker Mike Johnson. Trump said he would attend former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral, but would not say anything else about his relationship with the Carter family.
It also had a pregnant Tiffany Trump walking down the stairs in black and made an appearance on the red carpet by Donald Trump’s ex-wife Marla Maples. Meanwhile, Melania Trump took a moment with Paolo Zampoli, who was her former modelling agent and the one who introduced her to Donald Trump.
