Ivanka Trump is believed by many commentators to be angling for a presidential run like her father, but her own cousin has scorned the “charmless” former First Daughter’s chances.
Mary Trump, the niece of Donald Trump, is famous for harshly critiquing her own family, including publishing a book titled Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man.
In a new interview, the author said she hopes none of her relatives ever return to the White House, although admitted her uncle does have a kind of “je ne sais quoi” that appeals to many people.
“He has a certain charisma that appeals to people’s lowest and basest instinct and gives permission to people to be their worst selves,” she told Business Insider.
“He can be charming. It makes sense to me that people can be taken in by him.
“They [Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr] don’t have that.”
It comes the same week that Spencer Critchley, a former communications consultant for Barack Obama’s campaigns, said all signs pointed to Ivanka preparing for a political run of some kind.
“It seems clear with the hints she’s dropped over the years that she thinks (running for office) is the logical next step,” he told news.com.au.
“But Ivanka is obviously completely unqualified in terms of her experience but also in terms of her character – in many ways she’s similar to her father.
“Ivanka, from the beginning and even before the Trump administration, had been involved in very questionable stuff.”
Such “questionable” moments include when Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner were both granted security clearances against the advice of intelligence officials after President Trump intervened.
“These examples show the reality of Ivanka Trump – that she is unqualified and every bit as questionable as you would expect a Trump child to be,” he said.
CNN’s White House correspondent Kate Bennett said that as her father’s term came to an end, Ivanka was reportedly “in a bit of a panic” about what to do next.
“I talked to a lot of sources today who say they’re questioning everything now, from where they’re going to live after the White House to what their careers will be,” she said.
Ivanka came under international scrutiny when she attended high-profile events such as the G20 summit despite not holding any ambassador role, posing for official photos with the likes of Shinto Abe and Justin Trudeau.
Footage of world leaders looking embarrassed after she seemed to “insert herself” into conversations with Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron also circulated on social media.