No official posts From Kai to Kimberly: this is the Trump clan - and it has influence
Donald Trump surrounded by his family at the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Don Jr. shows the most political ambition of Trump's sons. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Kimberly Guilfoyle, Don Jr.'s fiancée, supported her future father-in-law's campaign mainly through media presence. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Son Eric also closely supports his father, but is more active in his company, the Trump Organization. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Daughter-in-law Lara, Eric's wife, plays a key role in shaping the political line at the top of the Republican Party. (archive picture)
Image: Natacha Pisarenko/AP
Michael Bolous (left) married Trump's daughter Tiffany (2nd from left) in 2022. The couple rarely appear politically. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Tiffany's father-in-law, Massad Boulos, was also considered: he will work for Trump in an advisory capacity. (Archive image)
Image: dpa
Daughter Ivanka was active as his adviser during Trump's first term in office, but has since focused more on her private life. (archive image)
Image: dpa
Son-in-law Jared Kushner, Ivanka's husband, was his Middle East adviser during Trump's first term - he will probably not take on an official role this time. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
However, Ivanka's father-in-law, Charles Kushner, is to be given an ambassadorial post by Trump. (archive image)
Image: dpa
Trump's youngest son Barron has just started his studies in New York. (archive picture)
Image: Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Barron's mother and Trump's current wife, Melania Trump, has never been a big fan of the US capital Washington. (archive image)
Image: dpa
Trump's eldest granddaughter Kai made her first major appearance at the Republican Party convention. (archive image)
Image: dpa
Out of character as a harsh critic of Donald Trump: his niece Mary. (archive picture)
Image: John Bazemore/AP
Donald Trump surrounded by his family at the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Don Jr. shows the most political ambition of Trump's sons. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Kimberly Guilfoyle, Don Jr.'s fiancée, supported her future father-in-law's campaign mainly through media presence. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Son Eric also closely supports his father, but is more active in his company, the Trump Organization. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Daughter-in-law Lara, Eric's wife, plays a key role in shaping the political line at the top of the Republican Party. (archive picture)
Image: Natacha Pisarenko/AP
Michael Bolous (left) married Trump's daughter Tiffany (2nd from left) in 2022. The couple rarely appear politically. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Tiffany's father-in-law, Massad Boulos, was also considered: he will work for Trump in an advisory capacity. (Archive image)
Image: dpa
Daughter Ivanka was active as his adviser during Trump's first term in office, but has since focused more on her private life. (archive image)
Image: dpa
Son-in-law Jared Kushner, Ivanka's husband, was his Middle East adviser during Trump's first term - he will probably not take on an official role this time. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
However, Ivanka's father-in-law, Charles Kushner, is to be given an ambassadorial post by Trump. (archive image)
Image: dpa
Trump's youngest son Barron has just started his studies in New York. (archive picture)
Image: Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Barron's mother and Trump's current wife, Melania Trump, has never been a big fan of the US capital Washington. (archive image)
Image: dpa
Trump's eldest granddaughter Kai made her first major appearance at the Republican Party convention. (archive image)
Image: dpa
Out of character as a harsh critic of Donald Trump: his niece Mary. (archive picture)
Image: John Bazemore/AP
When Donald Trump moves back into the White House in January, his children will probably not have any official advisory positions there. But behind the scenes, his family continues to wield great influence.
06.12.2024, 23:49
dpa
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- During Trump's second term, family members will not be given official posts in the White House.
- Nevertheless, the family clan will exert political influence.
In his first term as US President, Donald Trump was criticized for elevating family members to political positions. Daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner had considerable influence in the White House in official advisory roles. On January 20, the Republican returns to government headquarters, this time without a family presence in close proximity. But the Trump clan is by no means invisible. Who does what - and where? An overview.
The wife
Trump's third wife Melania will once again take on the role of First Lady. During the election campaign, the 54-year-old was mainly conspicuous by her absence. During Trump's first term in office, Melania often made negative headlines - due to bizarre Christmas decorations or inappropriate clothing. This time, the former model could become more of a part-time First Lady. According to media reports, it is unlikely that she will move back into the White House in Washington in January.
The children
Trump has five children from three marriages: Don Jr, Ivanka and Eric - their mother Ivana died in July 2022. Tiffany - her mother is Marla Maples. And Barron - he is the son he shares with Melania.
Don Jr (46): Trump's eldest son played a particularly big role in the election campaign - making appearances in front of supporters, giving interviews and is also said to have had a big influence behind the scenes. Don Jr. is said to have pushed for Trump to make Senator J.D. Vance his running mate. At the Republican party convention in Milwaukee, it was clear to see how well the two men get on. Nevertheless, Don Jr. has not yet been offered a position in Trump's administration - instead, he is reportedly to be hired by a venture capital firm. However, it can be assumed that he will continue to pull the strings in the background.
Ivanka (42): During Trump's first term in office, Ivanka worked as an advisor to her father and was considered the First Daughter. She now lives in Miami with her husband Jared Kushner and their children and says she wants to focus on her family. She played no role in the election campaign and rarely appeared alongside her father.
Eric (40): Unlike Ivanka, Eric was actively involved in his father's election campaign. He has a leading role in his father's company, the Trump Organization. However, it doesn't seem as if he can step out of the shadow of his big brother Don Jr.
Tiffany (30): Tiffany is Trump's daughter from his second marriage to Marla Maples. She occasionally took part in the election campaign, but has largely withdrawn from the public eye. The law graduate is currently expecting her first child and has tried her hand at singing and modeling in the past.
Barron (18): Trump's youngest son is studying at New York University and has not yet made any public statements. However, he is said to have advised his father behind the scenes during the election campaign. According to reports, he suggested online formats for Trump's appearances in order to better reach young men. His mother Melania is said to be heavily involved in Barron's upbringing and future planning.
The married couple
Lara Trump (41): Eric's wife is an important figure in the Republican Party. In March, she was elected co-chair of the party leadership following her nomination by Donald Trump - a role in which she was heavily involved in campaign strategy. There is speculation that she is being considered as a possible successor to Marco Rubio's Senate seat in Florida - Rubio is set to become the new Secretary of State.
Jared Kushner (43): Ivanka's husband was her father's lead Middle East adviser during his first term. This time he is not taking on an active role in the White House - he intends to concentrate on his real estate business. However, Kushner is still considered an influential voice in Trump's ear. During his time as an advisor, he built up relationships with decision-makers in the Middle East that could be of importance to Trump. However, critics point to the businessman's considerable financial interests in the region. In February, Kushner himself described the coastal area of the Gaza Strip as "very valuable" and suggested temporarily resettling Palestinian civilians in order to "clean up" the area.
Kimberly Guilfoyle (55): The fiancée of Don Jr. is a prominent figure within the American right and was active in the campaign. However, she has no official position.
Michael Boulos (27): Tiffany's husband is an entrepreneur from a wealthy family. The couple married in 2022 at Trump's private estate Mar-a-Lago in Florida and rarely appear politically.
The fathers-in-law
Massad Boulos (64): Tiffany's father-in-law will advise Trump on issues relating to the Middle East and the Arab region. Boulos was born in Lebanon. The President-elect praises him as a "highly respected" businessman with extensive international experience and a "long-time advocate of Republican and conservative values".
Charles Kushner (69): Jared Kushner's father is set to become US ambassador to France. The real estate entrepreneur was sentenced to two years in prison in the past for tax evasion, among other things - Trump pardoned him. Kushner had already served his sentence by then, but his criminal record was expunged with the presidential pardon.
The granddaughter
Among Trump's ten grandchildren, Don Jr.'s eldest daughter stands out in particular - on Tiktok, Instagram and the like, Kai Trump gives her young audience insights into her life, mainly while playing golf. The 17-year-old made her first major public appearance at the Republican Party conference in the summer. She presented herself as a proud representative of the Trump clan with a self-confident speech. A comment made by her father on the sidelines of the event caused some discussion: Don Jr. referred to his daughter as "sexy" in a Tiktok video. This was quickly compared to earlier comments made by her grandfather Donald Trump, who once said of Ivanka: "If she wasn't my daughter, I might be dating her."
The niece
While most of Trump's family are loyal to him, his niece Mary (59) is an exception. She is considered one of his harshest critics and has repeatedly warned against a second presidency for her uncle. Mary Trump makes frequent public appearances, is the author of several books and also had her own podcast for a time ("The Mary Trump Show").
