Donald Trump in 2016 with his wife Melania, daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner Photo: Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
It was all over for Donald Trump. He lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden, the first time a sitting president has been defeated since George H. W. Bush was ousted by Bill Clinton in 1992. those loyal to him — or, more precisely, to the power he wielded — fled the sinking ship.
Chief among them: his wife Melania and daughter Ivanka, both canny figures who seem to thrive in business dealings. If Trump was no longer useful to them, they would have no reason to stay here.
But now the impossible could happen. Could Trump still seek a second term? This is a nightmare scenario for many in the United States and beyond. But for some members of his family, it's a difficult dilemma.
Should they keep their distance? After all, Trump is still embroiled in numerous lawsuits. Or should they return to their ranks in case the king regains his throne?
It would be a remarkable turnaround from his wife, in particular, who has been nicknamed «Bored Melania» due to her long absence from her husband in public. The former Slovenian model has never felt comfortable as a political spouse, having played a minimal role in Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
Her few remarks were downright laughable, as was her announcement that as First Lady she would focus on combating cyberbullying — all the while Trump constantly took to Twitter, now X, to make nasty jibes about his opponents.< /p>
Melania also got into trouble when she gave a speech at the Republican National Convention that was plagiarized from Michelle Obama's 2008 speech.
Trump&# 39's daughter Ivanka is a «cunning person» who thrives in «transactional relationships.» Photo: John Kopaloff/Getty
She has largely followed her husband's lead during his presidency, even going so far as to repeat his false claim that the 2020 election was fraudulent. She even abandoned the tradition of welcoming the next first lady, Jill Biden, to the White House. This may have contributed to her leaving with the worst final approval rating of any first lady in history.
But was she actually relieved to escape this glare of attention? Since the Trumps left Washington, Melania has disappeared into the sanctuary of Mar-a-Lago, with Palm Beach residents like Lawrence Leamer remarking: “Nobody knows where she is. It's like a riddle. Of course, they talk about this.”
Melania seemed much more interested in making money independently of her husband than in supporting his ambitions. She recently auctioned a variety of items through her website, including memorabilia honoring the head of state, such as the hat she wore during Emmanuel Macron's 2018 state visit.
Sources close to Melania say she is particularly reluctant to return to the political fray because she wants to protect her 17-year-old son Barron, who is about to apply to college. She wants to shield Barron from Trump's barrage of legal questions and keep him out of the story — especially since Barron is about to become an adult and therefore fair game for the press.
However, this may not be possible for a long time. The likelihood of Trump winning the Republican nomination is increasing, and Melania's absence has once again become a talking point. In the key state of Iowa, Trump opponents distributed leaflets with a photo of Melania and the words “Missing” and “Have you seen this woman?” She was not visible at Trump's rallies or his many court appearances.
Trump with his wife Melania and son Barron at the funeral of Amalia Knavs, the mother of the former first lady. Photo: Rebecca Blackwell/AP
But is Melania now returning back to his inner circle, albeit reluctantly? Trump claims this in an interview: he told cable channel Newsmax that she supports him 100 percent.
Melania herself did appear in May 2023 to speak with Fox News Digital. She said she would be privileged to serve as first lady again and that she looked forward to working with Trump to «restore hope to the future and lead America with love and strength.»
The Axois website also said, that Melania weighed in on Trump's choice of running mate, strongly recommending conservative pundit Tucker Carlson — and indicating that she would be more likely to attend campaign events if he was with him.
But perhaps the really key part here is these tests. Although Melania wasn't there, she definitely knows what's going on — and if she has to choose between returning to the White House or watching her husband become a felon (and possibly bankrupt as well), she'll take the Any Day option .
Ivanka Trump faces a similar predicament. The elegant, poised businesswoman had no problem trading on the Trump name in good times: She worked for her father's company while launching her own (mostly unsuccessful) lines of jewelry, clothing and accessories.
Although she She was once a Democratic voter and considered relatively liberal. It was Ivanka who introduced Trump when he gave a speech announcing his candidacy in 2015 and later became a key adviser to the president along with her husband Jared Kushner.
However, she tactically distanced herself from the 2021 US Capitol riots, reportedly telling her father to post a video condemning the rioters and tweeting calls for «peaceful» behavior.
Trump (center) with Eric Trump, Lara Yunaska, Tiffany Trump, Melania Trump, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and Vanessa Trump in 2016. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The following year, when she was called before a commission investigating the Jan. 6 riot, she admitted that she did not believe the 2020 election was stolen and that there was no basis for allegations of voter fraud.
In November 2022, Ivanka missed her father's presidential campaign announcement. In her statement, she said that this time she decided to “prioritize our young children and the personal life we create as a family. I don’t plan to get involved in politics.”
True to her word, neither she nor Kushner have appeared on the campaign trail since. Instead, they moved to a private island in Indian Creek off Miami, dubbed the «Billionaire's Bunker.»
Perhaps that's because they didn't need Trump's funding. In 2021, Kushner founded private equity firm Affinity Partners and received a whopping $2 billion from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.
Presidential candidate Chris Christie called the payment a «family scam,» and the House Oversight Committee launched an investigation. There were fears it was a form of payback after Kushner defended Mohammed bin Salman and the Saudi administration while serving in the White House.
However, the pair cannot leave Trump's orbit for good — not least because Democrats are seeking to investigate all of his business dealings while he is in office, including those of Ivanka and Kushner. Trump's re-election to a second term is one possible way to curtail such investigations.
Trump is surrounded by family and supporters after his speech accepting the GOP nomination for re-election in 2020. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Although Ivanka tried her best to extricate herself from her father's civil fraud case—hiring her own lawyer, petitioning to be excluded as a defendant, and unsuccessfully trying to avoid testifying (under the excuse that she had «childcare concerns»)—she still found herself in a Manhattan court, answering awkward questions about The Trump Organization's business practices.
It's a reminder that, no matter what she chooses to do, she's still tied to Trump—and maybe more vulnerable if she doesn't. I don't work with him.
There were also rumors that Trump might give his son-in-law a prestigious position: Secretary of State. He previously said: «If [Jared] can't bring peace to the Middle East, no one can.»
That would give Kushner a major ego-boosting power position.
And if Ivanka decides the family is better off together — financially, legally, politically or otherwise — you can bet this savvy operator will make the Trumps great again .
And the rest…Barron
His mother, Melania, may want to keep her 17-year-old son out of the spotlight, but Trump has other ideas. He was only too happy to discuss Barron in a recent interview, bragging about his son's height (6-foot-7), healthy appetite and love of football.
Who will win? Unlike his older half-siblings, Barron has largely avoided the Trump media circus. Instead, he enjoyed a privileged and protected upbringing, attending private schools in Manhattan, Maryland and Florida. He is currently applying to college.
But once Barron becomes an adult, Melania will not be able to protect him from the press and public interests in the same way. Trump will likely see him as a valuable asset in his campaign: His handsome golden boy could be catnip to younger voters.
Barron will have to decide whether he wants to be defined by his father's policies—and perhaps , capitalize on his potential return to the White House — or he wants to bide his time.
Donald Jr.
Trump's eldest son has always been close to his father. Donald Jr., 46, is the executive vice president of The Trump Organization and played an active role in Trump's 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns.
Donald Trump Jr. in his civil fraud trial before the New York State Supreme Court last year. Photo: Getty
However, he is somewhat of a clumsy person. He met with a Russian lawyer who promised to provide damaging information about Hillary Clinton and passionately promoted conspiracy theories. He also spoke at the rally that preceded the storming of the Capitol in January 2021.
But last year, Donald Jr. spoke confidently in a civil case against The Trump Organization. When he saw photographers jostling to take his picture, he joked: “I should have put on makeup.”
Unlike other members of his family, he is already back on the front line. On Feb. 9, he will appear at Washington and Lee University's Mock Convention, a student event attended by future presidents and vice presidential candidates such as Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Dick Cheney and Joe Biden.
This suggests that Donald Jr. has his own political ambitions. But for now, his safest bet is to stay with his dad.
Eric
Like Donald Jr., Trump's second son is executive vice president of The Trump Organization and has been a vocal supporter of his father's presidential ambitions throughout his campaign.
Eric, 40, called the 2020 election results “fraudulent.” ” and promoted the false claim that Antifa was responsible for the Capitol riot. After Trump left Washington, Eric followed him back to Florida, purchasing a home in Jupiter for $3.2 million.However, he was much less slick than his older brother on the witness stand, and made the ridiculed statement that he had little knowledge of financial matters because he was «pouring concrete»; he was a «builder».
But even if he is an occasional liability, he has already proven his zealous commitment to Trump's latest bid for the White House.
Earlier this month, he told Nigel Farage on GBN America that Trump doesn't need the presidency — he can «play golf, hang out with his grandchildren» — but that their opponents are weaponizing the system. He added that Trump was a «brave man» who loved his country.
Eric completely agrees.
Tiffany
Trump's only child with his second wife, Marla Maples, Tiffany, 30, was never involved in her father's business dealings. She grew up with her mother in California and saw Trump only a couple of times a year, although she visited her old man's alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.
The campaign seemed to be an opportunity for Tiffany to finally get closer to her father. She spoke enthusiastically at political events such as the Republican National Convention.
But since his departure from the White House, Tiffany has been completely absorbed in her lavish Mar-a-Lago wedding to Lebanese-American billionaire heir Michael Boulos. She missed Trump's 2022 campaign launch because she was on her honeymoon.
She was also forced to deny allegations by Carol Leonnig, a reporter for The Washington Post, that she had an affair with her Secret Service detail. . agent.
However, it looks like Tiffany is once again supporting her father. Last year, she attended his big speech after his indictment — unlike Ivanka. Is she taking advantage of the opportunity to go from spare to first daughter?
…and the black sheep, Mary
Trump's niece, born to his brother Fred Trump Jr., Mary, 58, has long been at war with her uncle.
It all started off hot contested will of Fred Trump Sr., where Mary and her brother Fred III claimed Trump and his siblings exerted undue influence over the older man.
Mary Trump has long been “at war” with her uncle Photo: Avery Trump/AP/Lauren Schwartz
The hostile tactics were: that Trump took away their health insurance, even though Fred III had a child who suffered from epileptic spasms. The lawsuit was settled in 2001.
Mary, an experienced psychologist who runs a life coaching company, clearly never forgave Trump. In 2018, she provided The New York Times with financial records in support of the newspaper's controversial story about her uncle's questionable tax schemes.
In 2020, Mary published an unauthorized biography of Trump entitled Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man. It sold one million copies on its first day.
Mary said Trump was “completely unfit to lead this country,” branding him a sociopath. If there's one thing we're sure of, it's that Mary Trump won't support his 2024 campaign.
Свежие комментарии