Ivanka's Changed In Almost Every Way Since Her White House Exit
All eyes were on the Trump family when Donald Trump entered the White House. It was January 2017 — half the country was celebrating the real estate mogul's success, while the other half was still in shock — and the former reality star's political magnitude was just getting started. Joining him in the White House was none other than his eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner. Both were given senior titles, security clearances, and access to the most powerful office in the country (if not the world). So many people were asking how the former Manhattan socialite made her way to the halls of the White House, while others were cheering on the family-oriented tactic. Either way, Ivanka made herself known.
In the four years that Donald occupied the White House, Ivanka was by his side. Ivanka often joined her father for public events, international trips, and highly important meetings. In a shocking move, she even accompanied her father to the G20 Summit, infringing on the circles of international power. But Ivanka's presence has diminished incredibly since her father lost the 2020 election, and her life has changed in just about every single way.
Ivanka Trump lost her title and security clearance
When any White House administration leaves, their security clearance goes out the door, too. For Ivanka Trump, she lost her White House title and security clearance when her father, Donald Trump, lost the 2020 election to President Joe Biden — but some people were shocked that she was granted security clearance at all. As reported by CNN, Donald was adamant that his daughter — who he had named as a senior adviser — be granted a high security clearance, but his then-chief of staff and his White House counsel didn't support the decision. John Kelly and Don McGahn, respectively, let the then-president know of their recommendation to not grant Ivanka high security clearance, but despite their suggestion, Donald went ahead with the "crusade."
Why was this a big deal in the first place? CNN noted that it is usually up to the White House personnel security office to determine who is granted high security clearance and who isn't, as the decision involves the FBI and an extensive background check. Despite the personnel security office's concerns and Kelly and McGahn's denial of the request, Donald made sure that Ivanka had clearance.
Ivanka no longer represents the United States on the global stage
One of the most significant ways in which Ivanka Trump has changed is in relation to her global status. At the height of Donald Trump's presidency, Ivanka was representing the United States on the world stage, and was even accompanying her father on diplomatic trips. That status has completely changed for her, as she is no longer in the public eye, let alone on the biggest political stage.
As noted by BuzzFeed News, perhaps the most significant event that Ivanka attended with her father was the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan. The socialite and former reality star joined the likes of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, French President Emmanuel Macron, and former British Prime Minister Theresa May at the event, and it's safe to say that there were some cringey moments that pertained to Ivanka's presence at such an important gathering. BuzzFeed News noted that during a conversation between Macron, May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde, Ivanka tried to "insert herself," much to the chagrin of the world leaders in attendance. The then-president's daughter was heavily criticized for the move.
The former president's daughter is no longer a staple on the rally stage
One of Donald Trump's most prominent means of communicating with his supporters has been through his rallies, and the events have been family affairs for the Trumps. Often joined by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, Donald made (and continues to make) his family front and center. But ever since leaving the White House, Ivanka Trump has been notably missing from her father's showmanship-like rallies, and people have been asking why. Of course, the coronavirus pandemic could have an impact on her decision making, as large crowd gatherings are still discouraged, but her absence could have more meaning.
As noted by the Daily Mail, Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, actively avoided Donald's January 2022 rally in Arizona. Instead of joining the former president at the MAGA event, Ivanka and her three children joined her husband's parents for a weekend in Florida. So why did the once prominent rally trail pair avoid such a high-profile Trump event? It's hard to say for certain, but Ivanka has been steadily distancing herself from her father ever since the January 6 riot.
Ivanka has faced a number of legal concerns since leaving the White House
To say that Donald Trump and his administration faced legal concerns both during and after his time in the White House is a grave understatement, and it appears as though Ivanka Trump is being dragged into the legal mess of things. As noted by The Daily Beast, Ivanka is the "key witness" in a number of alleged crimes committed by the family and Donald's company specifically, with the New York attorney general pursuing a line of inquiry with Ivanka at the center.
If that wasn't enough, NBC New York reported in mid-January 2022 that the same attorney general, Letitia James, claimed that both Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. "misled financial institutions" within their roles at the Trump Organization, and "put out fake and misleading financial information in some of its business dealings." It's safe to say that Ivanka's life — and the protection she was granted due to her father's prominent political position — has drastically changed since leaving the White House.
Ivanka and her family moved as a result of her father losing the election
A new job often means a new location, and when Ivanka Trump became a prominent member of her father's administration, she and her family moved to the highly sought-after Kalorama neighborhood in Washington, D.C. However, given the fury that mounted against Donald Trump's administration following the January 6 riot — and the political unrest that had been a cornerstone of his administration — Ivanka, Jared Kushner, and their three children high-tailed it out of D.C. as soon as she left the White House. As noted by CNN, the family moved from the political center to Miami, Florida, and leased a $40,000-per-month condo.
Ivanka's life after the White House, however, will not remain in the luxury complex. CNN reported that she and Jared purchased a plot of land on the very exclusive Indian Creek Island — located in the Miami area — for $32 million, with the goal of creating a "more permanent home." Real estate broker Dora Puig told CNN that Indian Creek is home to a number of wealthy people, and the location lends itself to "extreme security measures" with "around the clock ... armed private security."
The former president's daughter has distanced herself from her father
When Donald Trump made himself known on the campaign trail, his family was with him. Ivanka Trump not only accompanied him to rallies and held a prominent position in his administration, but she constantly seemed to be in his shadow. But ever since leaving the White House, Ivanka has made it clear that she is trying to distance herself from her father and his lies about the 2020 election being stolen. According to CNN, two sources close to Ivanka shared that she has tried to "walk a fine line" between supporting Donald, while also taking steps back from his false claims.
CNN went a step further, and spoke to 12 former Trump White House officials, team members, and family friends, who all dished about Ivanka's ever-changing dynamic with her father. While the former president sometimes spends "several hours" complaining about the 2020 results on any given day, Ivanka is seeking "a less complicated life for her family." The sources close to the father-daughter pair asserted that "the gap between Trump and his daughter and son-in-law grows wider by the week."
Her role in the January 6 riot has not helped her public status
Perhaps the biggest nail in the coffin for Ivanka Trump was January 6. As noted by The Washingtonian, Ivanka and Jared Kushner were "all but banished from Washington" following the violent riot, and Donald Trump's daughter now faces extreme lines of questioning regarding her role on the tragic day.
As noted by AP News, Ivanka was with her father in the Oval Office on the morning of January 6, and she watched as he pressured Mike Pence about certifying the election results. Due to her close proximity to Donald on the day in question, the House committee investigating that fateful day has every intention to question Ivanka about what she "heard and saw," as they hope to put together a timeline of events, interactions, and actions taken by Donald and his associates. "Ivanka Trump has details about what occurred in the lead-up to and on Jan. 6 and about the former president's state of mind as events unfolded," Representative Stephanie Murphy told AP. While it is largely unprecedented for a family member to be questioned by congressional investigators, Ivanka could hold important information about January 6.
Ivanka has rebuked her father's stinging words about Mike Pence
To say that Donald Trump has political enemies is an understatement, and while many politicians find themselves at odds, Donald has particular beef with his vice president, Mike Pence. In the time since leaving the White House, Pence has made it clear that he and Donald have very differing opinions about the 2020 election and January 6, specifically, and while you'd think that all of Donald's family would be on his side, Ivanka Trump appears to be at odds with her father.
According to AP News, Donald, Ivanka, and Pence were in the Oval Office on January 6, 2021, and Pence "rebuffed" Donald's attempts to overturn the 2020 election. In that moment, Ivanka looked at Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg and said, "Mike Pence is a good man." Kellogg responded, "Yes, he is," according to congressional testimony. Ivanka's recently revealed comment displays just how much she's changed since her early days in politics. Furthermore, when Ivanka made one of her final tweets of her White House days, she did not include her father by name, and not only wished Joe Biden prosperity, but encouraged the United States to seek "common ground," per The Washingtonian.
She and her family live in a community that supported Joe Biden
Ivanka Trump's life changed significantly after leaving the White House, so much so that she and her family moved out of their prominent Washington, D.C. neighborhood. While their former neighbors included the Obamas, Jeff Bezos, and embassies to boot (per Town & Country), their new neighborhood isn't so thrilled that the political family has settled in. Per Vanity Fair, while Ivanka and Jared Kushner are waiting for their home on Indian Creek Island to be built, they've been living in Surfside, Florida. While 79% of Indian Creek residents voted for Donald Trump in 2020, Surfside went for Joe Biden — marking a significant change for Ivanka's environment.
Eliana Salzhauer, a Surfside town commissioner, opened up to The Washingtonian about having the famous former first daughter as a local, and she did not hold back. "It was, 'Oh, good, the town is getting recognition,'" Salzhauer said. "Then it was, 'Oh, no, the psychos are coming.'" She went on to say that she did not want to become an "enabler" in Ivanka's "reinvention act," and summarized the situation quite bluntly: "What are they doing in our town?"
The former president's daughter has traded thousand-dollar outfits for casual looks
One aspect of Ivanka Trump that nearly everyone could agree on was that her sense of style while working in the White House was on point. She always looked put together and sophisticated, and she often rocked designer labels with ease. But as noted by SCMP, Ivanka may be facing an extreme change when it comes to fashion since leaving Washington, D.C., as many designers no longer wish to work with her. "No one is going to lend Ivanka clothing — she'll have to buy it covertly at retail," designer Batsheva Hay said. And Hay may very well be onto something. While spotting Ivanka in anything other than stilettos was shocking while she was working at the White House, Donald Trump's daughter has been seen on numerous outings in very pared-back looks.
As noted by Hola! Magazine, for instance, Ivanka was seen in black leggings, a tank top, and sneakers during an outing with her family in Miami. On another occasion, as per the Daily Mail, the former fashionista was seen in a sweatshirt and leggings while out with her daughter. She even casually ran to Starbucks and picked up two pink drinks, to boot.
Ivanka went from being a rampant social media star to an infrequent poster
As the daughter of a wealthy real estate mogul, Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump spent her life in the spotlight and amassed a large following. By the time her father won the White House in 2016, pretty much everyone knew who Ivanka was — whether they were a fan of her or not. With exposure on both the pop culture and political fronts, Ivanka gained a large social media following and posted frequently throughout her time in Washington, D.C.
While a senior adviser to her father, Ivanka gave her followers insight into many of her responsibilities and appearances. From international travels to campaign efforts to family photos, Ivanka didn't hold back. However, as noted by The Washingtonian, the former first daughter all but disappeared from social media in May 2021, and her post about getting the COVID-19 vaccine on May 5, 2021 was her last peep on Instagram for months. It wasn't until January 18, 2022, that Ivanka posted on Instagram again, this time about participating in a food drive. Her departure from social media is clearly a drastic shift from her life in the White House.
Despite reported financial trouble before entering the White House, she left with millions in the bank
Here's a change that has benefitted Ivanka Trump — according to iNews, the former first daughter's finances have reportedly steadily increased since she left Washington, D.C. David Cay Johnson, a journalist and author of the book, "The Big Cheat," examined Ivanka and Jared Kushner's finances and determined that Donald Trump's daughter has significantly expanded her financial portfolio in the months since leaving the White House through a combination of companies and "outside activities."
According to Johnson, Ivanka and Jared had "very troubled finances" when they first entered the political arena, but due to a holding company set up by Jared in the Caribbean, the couple reportedly increased their worth by at least $172 million. Johnson even estimated that they could've made as much as $640 million, given their heightened fame. Of course, Johnson pursued the line of inquiry as to how the couple was able to profit so significantly during their time in Washington and posited that the "intersection of their financial interests and U.S. national security" may have played into the couple's wealth.
Since leaving the White House, Ivanka and her husband don't wield much political influence
As evident on her Instagram, Ivanka Trump garnered a significant amount of political influence given her proximity to Donald Trump. From Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue's races in Georgia to her position on the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board to her practically unlimited access to the Oval Office, Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, expanded their public personas as well as their sphere of power. However, since leaving the White House, Ivanka and Jared have essentially closed themselves off from the political scene, and haven't been spotted campaigning for other Republican politicians, weighing in on current political rulings, or wielding their significant influence. In fact, since leaving Washington, D.C., former staff members have shed light on just how "inappropriate" Ivanka and Jared's access to power was, namely former press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
As per The Hill, Grisham shared that Jared and Ivanka viewed themselves as the "shadow president and first lady," and even asserted that Jared "got really heady with power." The couple, according to Grisham, would insert themselves in many issues that didn't concern them, and Ivanka even expected to be treated like a member of the "royal family," given her political access. Her life has definitely changed.
Ivanka is now on the outside of the elite social scene looking in
Before she was a White House senior adviser, Ivanka Trump was at the heart of the Manhattan social scene. From her luxurious life at Trump Tower to her appearances on Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" to her high-profile friendships, not a ton of us could've expected that she'd become a Republican darling. Nevertheless, Ivanka jumped into the conservative political pool at the deep end, and while she expanded her profile with Republican voters, she alienated herself from the social scene she used to be a part of. As noted by SCMP, Ivanka's life since leaving the White House has been rampant with rejection, and it doesn't look like the A-list scene will be inviting her back any time soon.
For example, Ivanka and Jared Kushner tried to rejoin the celebrity elite circle in November 2021 during a Louis Vuitton fashion show. With the likes of Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and Bella Hadid in attendance, the couple reportedly failed to reintegrate themselves or even snap photos with the A-listers in the front row. Even Ivanka's famous sister-in-law, model and activist Karlie Kloss, has "publicly shunned" the former president's daughter.