The daughter of President Donald Trump comes under fire after traveling miles away with her family to celebrate the first night of Passover at a family resort despite the stay at home orders.
- April 18, 2020
AceShowbiz - White House has spoken up after Ivanka Trump took the heat for a New Jersey trip that defied White House guidelines against discretionary travel. The Senior White House adviser and daughter of President Donald Trump traveled to Trump National Golf Club Bedminster with her husband Jared Kushner and their three children to celebrate the first night of Passover, on April 8.
After Ivanka earned a lot of criticisms for her personal travel, the White House defended her, claiming that her trip to the family gold club was "no different than had she been traveling to/from work." A spokesperson for the White House said in a statement, "Ivanka - with her immediate family - celebrated Passover at a closed down facility considered to be a family home. The location was less populated than the surrounding area near her home in D.C." The statement added, "Her travel was not commercial. She chose to spend a holiday in private with her family."
Social media users accused Ivanka of hypocrisy with the trip, considering she has strongly promoted federal guidelines about self-isolating, social distancing and ceasing unnecessary travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I see Ken & Barbie, (Jared & Ivanka) broke all the social distancing rules last week, by driving to Bedminster to the Trump Hotel, who the hell do they think they are? Oh I know, a pair of spoilt brats," tweeted an eyewitness.
Philip Rucker, White House bureau chief for The Washington Post, wrote, "Federal guidelines against discretionary travel and DC's stay at home order apparently don't apply if you're Ivanka Trump or Jared Kushner."
"Sure, Ivanka Trump could have stayed in DC as federal guidelines advised, but why do that when you can make a promotional appearance at one of your father's properties multiple states away?" said the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
Joe Lockhart, who served as White House press secretary under former President Bill Clinton, chimed in, "There is not a single rule that applies to Ivanka and Jared. They are the chosen ones and it's only the rest of us that have to follow the rules."
