Katherine Heigl speaks after attending Lara Trump’s event at Mar-A-Lago
Katherine Heigl is speaking out amid fervent reaction to her appearance at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” actress attended the Wine, Women & Shoes fundraiser on Sunday with her mother, Nancy, at President Donald Trump’s estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Although the president did not appear to be present, the event was co-chaired by his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, and raised $5.5 million for Big Dog Ranch Rescue, a dog rescue, shelter and adoption center.
As many outlets noted, the event marked Heigl’s first red carpet appearance in about two years. Not surprisingly, the news sparked heated criticism from fans, with many suggesting the actress’ attendance was indicative of her political views.
“This is a dog rescue event… Trump owns Mar-a-Lago,” comedian and internet personality Meredith Lynch proclaimed on TikTok. “Trump hired [former Homeland Security Secretary] Kristi Noem, who shot her dog. Do you see the disconnect there?
However, in a statement sent to the New York Post’s Page Six and online outlet JustJared on Wednesday evening, Heigl defended her appearance but avoided any mention of her personal politics.
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“Animals don’t vote. The only room they don’t like is the euthanasia room in a shelter,” he wrote. “They are completely at the mercy of us and have no voice of their own. This event was about animal advocacy, something that has always been deeply personal to me. Anyone who knows me knows that protecting animals is one of my greatest passions.”
“As a society, we should all come together to protect the voiceless and the innocent. This should not be a polarizing issue,” she continued, before concluding, “I am so grateful to everyone who came forward, supported, and continues to stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
As of Thursday morning, Heigl appeared to have closed comments on her Instagram account. However, before doing so, the actress allegedly responded to several users who questioned her motivations.
“Just curious… what do you do that really matters? Do you think comments on an Instagram post matter to animals that humans have poured gasoline on and set on fire?” he wrote in the comments of JustJared’s Instagram post. “Who made humans vote conservative or liberal but left them to starve and suffer?”
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When another person suggested that Heigl might have supported other animal rights groups, she responded: “How are you so sure about that… have you been to one?… Have you done anything other than comment on what someone else is doing or not doing by your standards? Just out of curiosity…”
Heigl, who currently resides in Utah with her husband, musician Josh Kelley, and their three children, is not the only TV star facing backlash for appearing at Mar-a-Lago, even at an event that apparently has no partisan purpose.
Last year, John Stamos received similar backlash after emceeing a Mar-a-Lago-based fundraiser for the Palm Beach Ray of Hope Foundation, a nonprofit organization for healthcare professionals.
The “Full House” actor, who supported former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, later issued a statement clarifying that his “values and political opinions remain unchanged.”
“I support the importance of healthcare, service, and investing in those who care about our communities,” he wrote, including a link to the nonprofit Democracy Forward.