Strange Things Everyone Ignores About Ivanka Trump
As the rumored favorite child of a failed business tycoon turned president, Ivanka Trump has said and done no shortage of strange things. Her stint as the First Daughter and her former job as a presidential advisor had the American public convinced that they knew exactly who Ivanka Trump was. Since she exited the political stage in 2022, though, Trump has been trying to fix her broken public image. While she's committed herself to spending more time with her children and helping people in need, there are some things about her that shouldn't be swept under the rug.
With her father making headlines every time he speaks, it can be easy to forget or ignore the things about Ivanka that just don't add up. From a tone-deaf book that ridiculously minimizes slavery to making awkward conversation with some of the most powerful people on the planet, Trump has had her fair share of rude, off-color, and downright weird moments.
Ivanka Trump's book compared slavery with time management difficulties
Ivanka Trump's 2017 book, "Women Who Work," was published to biting criticism and a chorus of scathing reviews. From NPR to the New York Times, the bulk of these reviews lambasted Trump for her bland, surface-level feminism and refusal to acknowledge her own privilege throughout the book. However, one detail stands out as particularly strange and ignorant.
"Women Who Work" includes a plethora of inspirational quotes. One of these is from Toni Morrison, a renowned Black American author who, among many other modern classics, wrote "Beloved." The book follows Sethe, a Black woman who escapes slavery and is haunted by the ghost of her dead child. The quote describes Sethe's struggle: "Bit by bit, she had claimed herself. Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another." According to The New Yorker, Trump then likens this experience to effective time management, with the quote, "Are you a slave to your time or the master of it?"
Toni Morrison, who passed away in 2019, did not make a public statement on this specific usage of her quote, though she made her disapproval of the Trump campaign crystal clear in a 2016 essay for The New Yorker, titled "Making America White Again," where she said: "So scary are the consequences of a collapse of white privilege that many Americans have flocked to a political platform that supports and translates violence against the defenseless as strength."
She attended the 2019 G20 summit
It's uncommon for the daughter of a president to be automatically elevated to important political status, especially when nobody actually voted for her. People questioned her role in the White House, but her appearance at the G20 summit — and the awkward series of events that ensued — really had people scratching their heads. Since the moment initially went viral in 2019, however, people have seemed to forget about it.
The video was initially released via @elysee, the French president's official Instagram page. Though the stories have since expired, the video has been widely shared. In it, Trump awkwardly nods along as world leaders — former British Prime Minister Theresa May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others — discuss social justice. When she tries to interject, everyone goes silent and turns away from her; Trudeau in particular looks visibly irritated. The conversation has gone down in internet history as one of the most awkward Ivanka Trump moments that were captured by millions.
In a July 2019 tweet, House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said: "It may be shocking to some, but being someone's daughter actually isn't a career qualification ... The US needs our President working the G20. Bringing a qualified diplomat couldn't hurt either."
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner worked at the White House without a salary
Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, became White House advisors during the Trump administration. What's strange isn't the nepotism, which is unsurprising to anyone who's paid even a passing glance at American politics, but the fact that they worked without a salary to alter public perception and make them come off as selfless.
Of course, there's more to that choice than meets the eye, as she seemingly leveraged her newfound political power to make millions for her business. After meeting with Xi Jinping, president of China, in 2017, she received preliminary approval for three trademarks that same day, per Citizens for Ethics. And a month prior to her father's election, the Russian government renewed two of her trademarks. While it is likely that she would have received some privileges from her proximity to the president, her official position in the White House gave her special opportunities to further the Ivanka Trump brand.
Ivanka's out-of-character fashion fail at Buckingham Palace
One of the most expensive outfits Ivanka Trump has ever worn was a complete dud. When attending the state banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2019, a notoriously formal event, Trump did the unthinkable: she wore what others have dubbed a "shirt dress." While beautiful, she looked considerably less fancy than her peers. Etiquette expert William Hanson told the Daily Mail: "Ivanka Trump's look was perfect ... for an Upper East Side corporate garden party."
The baby blue trench gown's collar and buttons gave a definite businesswear vibe, a huge faux-pas for a formal banquet with the Queen. What's more, she paid over $11,000 for the dress — a huge sum for any article of clothing, but especially so for a dress that ultimately fell flat. As the former owner of clothing and jewelry brands, this fashion fail is not only a bad look, but it comes across as an incredibly odd choice, above all else.
Ivanka used to blend in with the old money crowd
Donald Trump — and, by extension, his family — has long been criticized for his overly flashy taste. Prior to her father's presidential run, however, Ivanka stood apart from her family. As a teenager, she spent time with old money types and knew how to get in their good graces. Perhaps most importantly, she wanted to be in their good graces, separate from her father. As someone whose name is now inextricably linked to Donald Trump's, this fact from Ivanka's past stands out.
In a Vanity Fair article penned by Ivanka's former best friend, Lysandra Ohrstrom, Trump is described as possessing a refined grace that charmed Ohrstrom's Newport Beach community. "Ivanka won everyone over," she writes. "After every conversation, strangers would marvel at how she had turned out so unlike her parents." Since 2016, though, what was once acceptance has now turned back into disdain. Ohrstrom, who claims to have once known Ivanka best, is sure of it: "I've been comforted by the certainty that the backlash from those whose respect she craves most must sting."