Melania and Ivanka Trump allegedly have a “frosty” relationship, according to an article published by Vanity Fair.
After two sources reportedly close to Melania said they noticed a “frostiness” between the two ladies, multiple media reports speculated that the frostiness could be due to the fact that Ivanka,
Trump eldest daughter, is taking on more and more responsibilities in her father’s administration, including filling the role of first lady in Melania’s absence.
Two unnamed sources in fashion and media reportedly told Vanity Fair that Melania and Ivanka were not getting along. It is being speculated that the “frostiness” could be because Ivanka has been performing the duties of first lady, acting as a stand-in for Melania, who chose to stay behind in New York City when the rest of the family moved to Washington, D.C., with Donald Trump.
Ivanka recently moved into her own office in the West Wing of the White House, and during the first months of her father’s presidency she, instead of Melania, has played the role of the first lady, meeting world leaders and CEOs in Washington.
Melania was the subject of negative media reports earlier in the year when it was announced that she would not be moving with her husband to the White House in Washington, D.C., but that she would be staying in New York City to allow her son, Barron, 11, to complete his academic year at his school.
However, while Melania chose to stay back in New York City, Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, moved with their three children to a new home in the upscale Kalorama District of Washington, D.C., to be close to Donald Trump in the White House.
Similarly, Melania rarely appeared on Trump’s campaign trail, but Ivanka was always at her father’s side as one of his biggest supporters. This explains why Ivanka was the obvious choice to fill the role of the first lady when Melania announced she was staying in New York City.
Since she moved to Washington, D.C., Ivanka has remained consistently at her father’s side. She is considered to be a close confidant of her father, who recently granted her an office on the second floor of the West Wing next to the office of Dina Powell, a senior adviser in the Trump administration, according to the Hill.
Although she was not given an official position or salary, the decision to grant her an office was considered a sign that she enjoys a high status in father’s administration. She will be acting as her father’s “eyes and ears” and will be advising him on a wide range of issues, her attorney said, according to Politico.
Her husband, Jared, is also is also a senior adviser to President Trump. However, a spokesperson for Melania denied the claims in multiple media reports that Ivanka’s relationship with Melania has turned “frosty” since she (Ivanka) has been filling the role of first lady. The spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham, told Vanity Fair that Melania, 46, and Ivanka, 35, have always had a close relationship and that the relationship between them remains normal.
“Ivanka and Mrs. Trump have always shared a close relationship, and that continues today.”
Despite the denial, sources close to the family alleged they noticed a “frostiness” between the two ladies as Ivanka’s role in her father’s administration expanded to cover the roles traditionally reserved for the first lady.
Some media reports, however, claimed that Melania has lately shown signs of trying to claim her place back. She has reportedly been seen more frequently in public in Washington recently. For instance, she accompanied her husband when he visited a military hospital on Saturday and awarded the Purple Heart to an Army veteran.
