Ivanka represents the opposition inside Trump White House, despite being 'first daughter'

Ivanka Trump sits next to her father in the Oval Office, where she is a more common fixture than the public is shown. The charge of nepotism is being increasingly leveled against the president.

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By Carolyn Yeager

IT'S WELL KNOWN IVANKA TRUMP IS A LIBERAL, previously a registered Democrat, now registered as an Independent. It doesn't appear she shares any of her father's political views—she is against what he is for and for what he is against. At exactly half his age, she has been on the receiving end of his advice, experience and largesse her entire life. But now that he has become leader of the entire country, this politically inexperienced daughter is doing her best to get him to listen to her about how he governs. She currently holds the title of assistant to the president, and has been given her own office in the West Wing on the floor above him.

It's recently been reported by the New York Times that “The two trade thoughts from morning until late at night, according to aides.” She calls him Dad, not Mr. President. He reportedly summons her to his office to ask her questions and hear her ideas. If he asks her about a subject she is unfamiliar with, she “will often do research so she can develop a view.” Sometimes she seeks him out, telling other staff members, “I need 10 minutes alone with my father.”

Of course, family is family, but if the above is true, it seems that family is dominating the Trump administration far too much. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, was also appointed as a Senior Advisor to the President, with an office down the hall from the President's. In a telephone interview with the NYTimes, Kushner is reported to have said about Ivanka and her father: “A lot of their real interactions happen when it’s just the two of them.”

I would surmise the scenario went something like this: President Trump wanted Jared on his team (he was always praising him during the campaign), so the Kushner's leased a house and moved from New York to Washington D.C. with their three children. Ivanka, not satisfied with the role of just a wife, demanded a government role of her own. “Dad” loves having his favorite daughter near him, so, though it's a touchy situation, something was worked out. In all this, the nepotism has gotten pretty thick.

Advocacy for Israel

But the really objectionable part is that these two 'untouchable' family members are flaming Jewish liberals, and advocates for Israel. In a 2016 speech at a synagogue in Florida, the president's daughter said she would be an advocate for women and Israel. I would like to know how any American citizen, Jewish or not, can advocate for the interests of a foreign country? On what basis can that be justified? Yet many presidents and members of Congress do it all the time, including Donald Trump! 

Right before the election, on Oct. 28, 2016, Ivanka said she did not plan to take on an official government role herself if her father was elected president on Nov. 8. But she had strong opinions that she would not hesitate to share. Now she has taken on an official role, after all.

To judge what her strong opinions will be, let's look at some of the facts we know about Ivanka.

She was born in 1981. During college (2000ish), Ivanka was in a nearly 4-year relationship with Greg Hersch, a Jewish investment banker, now 38, who received his BA from Georgetown University in 2001. She started dating another Jew, Jared Kushner, in 2005.

In 2007, Ivanka donated $1,000 to the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton.

She and Kushner broke up in 2008 due to objections from Kushner's parents. Ivanka then undertook studies with Modern Orthodox Rabbi Elie Weinstock and converted to Orthodox Judaism, taking the Hebrew name “Yael”. She and Kushner were married in a Jewish ceremony in October 2009.

In 2013, Ivanka and her husband hosted a fundraiser for the very liberal African-American Democrat Cory Booker, and the couple bundled more than $40,000 for Booker's U.S. Senate campaign in New Jersey.

Now, in 2017, not much has changed. Again, according to the NYTimes article, Ivanka says she intends to act as a moderating force in her father's Republican administration. Officials said she has so far weighed in on topics such as climate, deportation, education and refugee policy.

She calls up cabinet officials, and recently asked the United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley about getting humanitarian aid into Syria. She set up a weekly meeting with Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, who is also a Jew – probably in an effort to educate herself. But he has time to cater to her needs?

What is really revealing:

In [the NYTimes] interview last week, she effused about finding a new role model in Eleanor Roosevelt [friend to communists and traitors, and globalist extraordinaire! -cy], whose autobiography she is reading. Ms. Trump is reaching out to influential women like Ginni Rometty, chief executive of IBM, and Mary T. Barra, the C.E.O. of General Motors, and studying up on child care policy. She waved away questions about her motivations for embracing feminist themes.

She plans to review some executive orders before they are signed, according to White House officials. Apparently, the president wants her opinion on them?

Right: This photo from the 1990's shows the real hair color of the image-conscious Trump family.

In early April, Ivanka said in an interview with Gayle King, "I think there are multiple ways to have your voice heard. In some cases [...] it is quietly and directly and candidly. So where I disagree with my father, he knows it. And I express myself with total candor."

"I think most of the impact I have, over time most people will not actually know about,” she said.

Even more recently, she traveled to Germany to a women's conference organized by Chancellor Angela Merkel. Accompanying her was her Secret Service detail; also Dina Powell, White House deputy National Security Advisor for strategy (who is said to be a close, personal adviser to Ivanka); and Julie Radford, hired just the week before as Ivanka's chief of staff. So while the multi-millionairess First Daughter has denied herself a salary in her new job, it doesn't mean she comes for free. In fact, it is unusual for a special assistant to have her own chief of staff, but apparently Ivanka needs the help as she goes through her learning process at taxpayer expense.

Vice President Pence—at odds with Jared and Ivanka?

The very latest is an upcoming announcement of an administration executive order on religious liberty. (This must be one of the EO's that Ivanka plans to review.) Reportedly, there is reason for religious conservatives, including Pence, to worry about how the final version will read. Yahoo News writes that the president’s daughter Ivanka and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are more aligned with gay, lesbian and transgender groups on the issue. Some observers believe the leak to the Nation was orchestrated by someone in Jared and Ivanka’s orbit to sabotage the process. Also see here.

“The Jared and Ivanka thing, that’s real,” said one congressional aide.

Little things stand out to make the point the young power couple are definitely in a different orbit—like the report that Ivanka and Jared would not touch the Christian prayer book during the Inauguration prayer service at St. John's Church.

What the full ramifications and repercussions of the 'Jared and Ivanka thing' will be is still to be seen. It depends on how independent Donald Trump is from his daughter. I know he thinks he is, but he may be a weaker man than we would like, in the end.

The best course is to use the issue of nepotism to get the offensive couple out of the Trump administration altogether. At the very least, Ivanka needs to go. There is no contribution she offers based on any political expertise or experience she has. She is a dangerous albatross around the neck of her father, who is indulgent enough to give in to her to help her look and feel involved and important. But in helping his daughter, he's hurting himself. Trump's enormous self-confidence makes him think he can handle anything, but, in reference to his favorite story “The Snake” that he loves to read at campaign rallies, Ivanka might just be the snake who in the end strikes him with the mortal wound.

After all, that's what Jews do.

*See my previous post on Ivanka here.