What Donald Trump Is Like As A Dad, According To His Family
Donald Trump's presidency wasn't just about politics; it became a full-blown reality show featuring every member of the Trump family. You've probably heard the juicy bits about the Trump family history: his rollercoaster marriage to Ivana Trump, the highly public affair with Marla Maples, and, of course, the Stormy Daniels scandal during his present marriage to Melania. To say Donald's marital resume is "colorful" is putting it mildly. But what about the former president's record as a father?
In 1977, a young Donald, just 31, welcomed his first child into the world. It's been several decades, and his now-adult kids are his fiercest defenders. Hardly a day goes by without Don Jr. targeting someone for an attack directed at Daddy Donald. Does this mean he nailed the fatherhood gig? Donald sure thinks so, but we decided to dig a little deeper. We scoured the internet for family anecdotes to get the whole picture. Spoiler alert: What we know about Donald Trump's relationship with his kids is shocking, to say the least.
Trump's ex-wives say that he didn't spend time with his children
It's safe to say that Ivana Trump and Marla Maples had similar reviews of Donald Trump's fatherly duties. Ivana tied the knot with Trump back in 1977, and they had three kids: Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. Marla, on the other hand, had one: Tiffany. It's worth clarifying that Ivana and Marla were by no means friends. In fact, Ivana's account of her first meeting with Maples — via her book, "Raising Trump" — was anything but friendly: "This young blonde woman approached me out of the blue and said, 'I'm Marla, and I love your husband. Do you?" Tough!
But despite their differences, both women admitted, on different occasions, that Trump was, at best, an uninvolved father. Ivana once stated at a benefit that she was basically a one-woman show as Donald "wasn't really interested in the children until he could talk business with them" (via New York Daily News). Similarly, Marla told People that Donald was an excellent provider but added, "As far as time, it was just me."
Ivana said Donald didn't want to name Don Jr. after himself
When it came to naming his first son and child, Donald Trump made a comment that deserves a spot on the most dramatic Trump family moments of all time. Ivana's memoir, "Raising Trump," details that when she suggested they name their baby after Donald, the real estate mogul was less than enthusiastic: "You can't do that! What if he's a loser?" Ouch!
This anecdote fuels the speculation that Don Jr. has been on a lifelong mission to earn approval from his father. Understandably, this theory was the centerpiece of a Slate article touting the phrase, "Don Jr. just wants to be loved." The piece paints Jr. as the son who tries too hard and is always in combat mode in a quest to win his father's approval. Don Jr.'s speculated obsession with impressing his dad has made him the butt of quite a few jokes, from scathing Twitter responses from the public to numerous "SNL" skits.
In 2019, Jason Selvig and Davram Stiefler, two New York City comedians, swapped the cover of Don Jr.'s book "Triggered" with one that read "Daddy, Please Love Me." They told The Hill at the time, "It's pretty obvious that President Trump doesn't love him, and Junior's attempts to get his father's attention — dressing up as his father for Halloween and marrying a Fox News personality that looks conspicuously like Melania — have been really hard to watch."
Ivanka and Eric Trump say their father used to trip them on purpose
Many parents let their children beat them to boost their confidence, but Donald Trump had quite a different philosophy. Recalling a ski trip with her father, Ivanka Trump told Jonathan Van Meter from New York Magazine, "I remember skiing with him and we were racing. I was ahead, and he reached his ski pole out and pulled me back." That's one way to instill competitiveness! Eric Trump's version of events supports his sister's. He shared, "He would try to push me over just so he could beat his 10-year-old son down the mountain."
This competitive edge might shed some light on why Donald doesn't seem to have a dotting relationship with his children. According to Don Jr., their father's busy schedule meant he wasn't around much, leading him to seek fatherly affection from his grandfather. Eric had a similar story, seeing his older brother as a "mentor" and relying on Ivanka, who "raised" him in their father's absence. In the Trump household, sibling bonds had to fill the gaps left by their always-on-the-move dad.
Donald Trump gave his children's prized possessions away without asking
Most people might hesitate to ascribe "generosity" to Donald Trump or billionaires in general, but the Trump children might disagree. Don Jr. spilled the beans while chatting with Jesse Watters on Fox News. From Don's narrative, we understand that the Trump kids had some unique childhood playmates, including Michael Jackson, their neighbor in Trump Tower. The King of Pop apparently had a thing for their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game.
Now, this wasn't just any game — Don Jr. had earned it through his hard work, putting in time at a summer job to buy it. But when Donald saw how much MJ was enjoying it, he did what any generous host would do and gave it away. Just like that. No heads-up to Eric or Don Jr., who actually owned the game. Don Jr. recalls this incident with a laugh, but for some, Donald's lack of consideration for his kids is kind of sad.
Donald Trump did not understand his children
The Trump kids are quite intentional about painting their father in the best light possible — maybe due to family loyalty or to counteract years of media scrutiny. But, in one of the few times they offered criticism, we can deduce that the untold truth of the Trump kids is that they were raised by a father who didn't understand them.
"My father could be more understanding of things he doesn't... understand. You know?" Don Jr. said during their interview with Jonathan Van Meter for New York Magazine. "If I want to go fishing rather than play golf, it's always like, 'Why would you go fishing all weekend? I don't get it! It's crazy!'" Ivanka and Eric had similar opinions, narrating their father's "disdain" for their love of Hawaii. This lack of understanding for his children is certainly not a recent development. Ivana told Van Meter that while Donald was not averse to holding and kissing his young children, he never stayed with them for long "because he had no idea what to do."