Calls of nepotism and conflict of interest grumblings, be damned. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are moving to DC this month to plunge into politics.
Here’s everything we know so far about Ivanka’s big move, where she stands with her brand and her future at the White House.
Ivanka is stepping down from her executive role at both the Trump Organization and her fashion brand.
The 35-year-old will sell all of her common stock and no longer profit from the Trump Organization. She will however, Vanity Fair reports, receive a “fixed series of payments from the revenue of a spate of projects.”
Her name is going to remain on products — including a new underwear line.
x
TMZ reported today that Ivanka Trump Marks LLC just filed legal documents to put their trademark name on a new undergarment line.
On social media, Ivanka’s brand is trying to distance itself from its founder (and vice versa).
After a few disastrous conflict of interest issues (including the Trump brand hawking a $10K bracelet Ivanka wore on “60 Minutes” after her father’s presidential win), a separate Instagram and Twitter account has been set up for the fashion line. Ivanka has only made one appearance on the account so far; in a post showing her at drinks with the brand’s Editorial Director.
Meanwhile Ivanka’s personal Instagram is now almost exclusively littered with family and vacation photos.
She does not have a job at the White House…yet.
During a press conference with the president-elect on Wednesday, Trump’s attorney Sheri Dillon said Ivanka’s main priority “will be focused on settling her children into their new home and new schools.” Ivanka reiterated that point on her Facebook page today, saying her first moves in DC will be helping her kids adjust to their new environment.
She did, however, confirm that she is figuring out her new role within her father’s presidency stating: “I’m grateful for the overwhelming amount of outreach I’ve received from people all across America who have shared their stories and offered to extend their ideas and expertise in the areas I am deeply passionate about…I am eager to hear more from them as I determine the most impactful and appropriate ways for me to serve our country.”
While giving Ivanka an official cabinet position at the White House raises conflict of interest issues, there’s wiggle room.
According to the federal 1967 anti-nepotism law: “A public official may not appoint, employ, promote, advance, or advocate for appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement, in or to a civilian position in the agency in which he is serving or over which he exercises jurisdiction or control any individual who is a relative of the public official,” A public official is also not “entitled to pay” their relative.
However, the White House is not an agency, according to Trump lawyers, and Ivanka could take on an unofficial position at the White House without pay. Kushner has already said he will forgo his salary as Donald Trump’s senior advisor.
Trump has already expressed effusive interest in his daughter joining his team.
“I would love to be able to have [Ivanka and Jared] involved,” he said in an Fox News interview last month. “If you look at Ivanka – she’s so strongly, as you know, into the women’s issues and childcare. Nobody could do better than her.”
She’ll reportedly be working closely with former Goldman Sachs partner Dina Powell.
Powell will be leaving her position at the bank to join the Trump administration in a role that will revolve around “entrepreneurship, economic growth and the empowerment of women,” POLITICO reports.
Powell served as an unofficial advisor to Ivanka prior to snagging this new role, and is expected to continue to work closely with the president-elect’s daughter.
