Here's a tip: If you're a senior White House adviser and the daughter of an impulsive demagogue who happens to be president of the United States, don't attempt to discuss gender inequalities with world leaders as if the administration you're representing doesn't have a hand in exacerbating them.
Over the weekend, Ivanka Trump attended the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan alongside her father, where she rubbed shoulders with world leaders. In a video posted by the French presidential palace, Ivanka attempts to insert herself in a conversation between French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and IMF managing director Christine Lagarde.
In the footage, Trump can be seen awkwardly smiling as she converses with the heavyweights. Although the entire context of the conversation remains unclear, at one point Theresa May says to the group: "As soon as you charge them with that economic aspect of it, a lot of people start listening who otherwise wouldn’t listen.” Trump then attempts to chime in once more, this time successfully. “And the same with the defense side of it, um, in terms of the whole business that’s been very male-dominated,” she says before donning an enthusiastic smile.
Lagarde then purses her lips and shoots a side-eye glare in Ivanka's direction. The reaction has since inspired countless memes, with some suspecting the French president's decision to post the short clip was a calculated attempt to embarrass the Trump administration. Although Macron's office has since denied such ill will, the video has certainly heightened criticisms of Ivanka's quite arguably undeserved position of influence.
The First Daughter attended the summit primarily to deliver the case for her "women’s empowerment" initiative. While her words didn't ring controversial, the sexual assault accusations lodged against the president and the displays of misogyny which have plagued his tenure certainly tainted her hollow plea.
The president's daughter doesn't have the qualifications to justify her role in the White House. As Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez aptly noted, "being someone's daughter isn't a career qualification." In fact, a CNN report in April indicated that the only reason Trump was able to obtain security clearance, is because she received special treatment from her father, despite concerns raised by intelligence experts. When Ivanka attempted to flex her status as a diplomatic representative on an international platform, her evident lack of experience took center stage.
