Ivanka Trump is under intense scrutiny for sharing photos of herself surfing on Instagram while Los Angeles was in turmoil due to riots over her father’s immigration policies.
The First Daughter finds herself in a difficult position as she tries to balance her allegiance to her family and a growing relationship with high-profile influencers who have criticized her father’s actions against illegal immigrants.
Trump’s controversial choice to deploy Marines to assist in managing protesters demonstrating against his immigration stance in LA sparked a wave of disapproval from celebrities, notably including Ivanka’s friend Kim Kardashian.
The decade-long friendship is well documented and Ivanka is largely credited with helping Kim lobby her father during his first presidency.
But Kim’s decision to speak out against Trump’s immigration policies has left Ivanka in a tough spot and opened her up to vile criticism for failing to address the saga.
Her latest two Instagram posts have been inundated with cruel comments condemning her silence.
‘Ivanka Antoinette. While America burns, she surfs,’ one said on a picture of Ivanka holding a surfboard at the beach.
‘How ”let them eat cake” is this post?,’ another said.
Ivanka Trump is facing sharp criticism for staying silent and sharing happy snaps of herself surfing at the beach as Los Angeles is torn apart by rioting over her father’s immigration policies
Trump’s provocative decision to send military reinforcements into LA to wrangle protesters who are rioting in the streets against his immigration policies prompted a wave of celebrity condemnation, led by Ivanka’s close friend Kim Kardashian
‘Ivanka should be mortified, humiliated and embarrassed by her father’s heartless actions,’ a third wrote, while countless others urged her to ‘get her dad under control.’
Back in 2018, a year into her father’s first term and when she was a crucial player in the administration, Ivanka addressed Trump’s tough-on-borders approach.
‘That was a low point for me,’ she admitted.
‘I felt very strongly about that and I am very vehemently against family separation and the separation of parents and children.’
But Ivanka was quick to point out that immigration matters were out of her remit.
Now that she’s got no formal involvement in her father’s administration, she appears even less inclined to wade into discussions on the controversial topic.
But Kim K’s decision to slam the tactics is likely to put Ivanka in an awkward spot.
‘When we witness innocent, hardworking people being ripped from their families in inhumane ways, we have to speak up. We have to do what’s right,’ Kim wrote.
Raids across the nation have sparked furious backlash, most apparent in LA where rioters have spent six days tearing the city apart in protest against the policies
The decade-long friendship is well documented and Ivanka is largely credited with helping connect the A-lister with her father during his first presidency
‘Growing up in LA, I’ve seen how deeply immigrants are woven into the fabric of this city. They are our neighbors, friends, classmates, coworkers, and family.
‘No matter where you fall politically, it’s clear that our communities thrive because of the contributions of immigrants. We can’t turn a blind eye when fear and injustice keep people from living their lives freely and safely.’
The Department of Homeland Security hit back hours later, with a post on X which read: ‘@KimKardashian, which one of these convicted child molesters, murderers, drug traffickers and rapists would you like to stay in the country.’
The post was accompanied by photos of four individuals ICE arrested in recent days from the City of Angels.
Kim is one of many celebrities using their platforms to condemn what they consider the heavy-handed approach to tightening border restrictions.
Trump gave the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents instructions to ramp up detention activities across the nation as part of his mass deportation agenda.
But raids across the nation have sparked furious backlash, most apparent in LA where rioters have spent six days tearing the city apart in protest against the policies.
Trump responded by authorizing the deployment of 4,100 National Guard troops and 700 Marines.
Ivanka’s latest two Instagram posts have been inundated with cruel comments condemning her silence
Ivanka’s A-list friendships have blossomed since she stepped back from politics and her father’s administration
Trump responded to riots by authorizing the deployment of 4,100 National Guard troops and 700 Marines
But Kim appears to be the first celebrity from Ivanka’s inner circle to publicly comment on the controversy.
Since stepping back from politics, Ivanka has been embraced by Miami socialites and A-listers, seen mingling with the likes of Camila Coelho, Isabela Grutman and Jeff Bezos’ fiance Lauren Sanchez.
Ivanka has also developed close friendships with her sister-in-law Karlie Kloss and supermodel Gisele Bündchen, both of whom have been vocal in the past about their political affiliations and support of immigrants.
In 2020, Kloss told Bravo host Andy Cohen, ‘I voted as a Democrat in 2016 and I plan to do the same in 2020’, meanwhile Bündchen once replied to a fan’s comment on Instagram asking if she was supporting Trump in 2016 with a simple but firm ‘NO!’
In 2017, shortly after Trump’s first foray into nationality-based immigration bans, Bündchen penned an Instagram post celebrating the diversity of immigrants, tagged: ‘weareallimmigrants.’
And Kloss, who is married to Ivanka’s husband Jared’s billionaire brother, Joshua Kushner, criticized Trump’s immigration policies in 2018, urging her fans to call their local congress member to voice their concerns.
‘It’s not the time to say ‘there are no words’, there are many. Politicizing the lives of these defenseless children and ripping them from their parents is heartless,’ she wrote.
‘We have to be the voices for these kids, and I support anyone standing up to do right by them. No matter what side of the aisle you are on – speak up.’
Sisters-in-law Karlie Kloss (right) and Ivanka (left) has a reportedly frosty relationship over the years, but that has since thawed and they’re now close friends after Ivanka stepped back from her foray into politics
The relationship between the sisters-in-law was initially rumored to be frosty, sources told DailyMail.com back in April that relations had thawed since Ivanka took a step back from politics.
‘Ivanka’s views have changed and after she revealed she hates politics. Since then, her and Karlie have gotten very close and Karlie and Gisele have been close for over a decade,’ a source close to Ivanka said.
‘They formed a trio and love spending time with each other. Both Karlie and Gisele – who have been friends for years – have revealed that they are not Trump supporters.’
‘Karlie has been very vocal about her political beliefs. Gisele revealed to her fans on social media that she does not support Trump.’
She famously said in January that she ‘hated politics’, telling The Skinny Confidential podcast: ‘I hate politics. It’s very dark, negative. And some people love like the gladiator aspect of it: the fight. That was never me.’
From 2016 to 2020 Ivanka was a senior advisor during her father’s first term, giving up her life as a socialite and fashion designer and moving her young family from New York City to Washington DC.
But when Trump announced he was running again in 2022, Ivanka took a step back.
‘I love my father very much,’ she said in a statement at the time, ‘I am choosing to prioritize my children and the private life we are creating as a family. I do not plan to be involved in politics.’
