Opinion

Ivanka shouldn’t get a pass for her role in Trump White House


All opinions expressed in this article are solely the opinions of the contributors.

The Trump White House packed enough scandal in four years to fill four presidential terms. The controversies included two impeachments, an insurrection, and a slew of Hatch Act violations. So how did Ivanka Trump manage to avoid much of the fallout that impacted her father’s administration? Straight Arrow News Contributor Jordan Reid says Ivanka’s stylish appearance and reserved public demeanor help her stand apart from the rest of the Trump White House.

How should we process the enigma that continues to be Ivanka Trump? On the one hand, a pillar of seeming sanity in an otherwise off-the-rails clown car, and on the other hand, a wildly useful distraction for precisely that reason. Is she awful or was she just there?

And before you ask, “Why should we still care?” — that’s a good question — Ivanka and her husband, Jared, are well into their image rehabilitation process in the wake of the January 6 insurrection, in addition to continuing to profit off of Ivanka Trump’s name. Also, I just don’t think she’s going anywhere because I’m not that lucky.

On the “pro” side for Ivanka, she cuts a pretty agreeable figure: She’s likable and she’s well-spoken, certainly more so than her father, and she’s been vocal about her pet causes, which shockingly for someone in that administration don’t usually include: “Let’s give guns to infants” and “COVID for everyone!”

Reporters have been hard-pressed to dig up real dirt on Ivanka and I can attest to this personally. I went to college with — and later briefly dated Jared Kushner — again, and I’ve mentioned this before, mea culpa, I am so sorry, he was very different back then. And a result of this personal connection I was hired by an investigative reporter to do some research into the couple.

You know what I turned up after exhaustive interviews with upwards of thirty people who knew them personally? Not much. She could allegedly be spoiled and entitled, but that’s neither surprising nor criminal. Across the board what most people reported was a woman who was noticeably attentive to, and empathetic, about their experiences. 

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