Ivanka Trump Wasn’t Always Pitted Against the Clintons, You Know

As Ivanka heads the ‘Women First’ GES 2017 summit, a look at a casualty of two women’s politics; friendship.

Two ‘first daughters’ in an unlikely friendship.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The US’ ‘First Daughter’ is in India, heading her country’s delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad, with the theme ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’.

A successful businesswoman with a global brand before her father became the US President, Ivanka’s carefully manicured image has taken a beating since the bitterly fought election. Once hailed as the ‘progressive’ Trump, Ivanka now faces accusations of being a feminist-for-convenience, with many pointing out the hypocrisy in her leading an entrepreneurship summit focused on women, when the conditions of the women she employs in third world countries remains abysmal.

But the bitter election campaign belied the close association the Trumps have previously had with their nemeses, the Clintons.

‘Women First’, Ivanka & Chelsea?

Perhaps one of the saddest parts of the election is how it seems to have broken a close friendship between Ivanka and Hillary’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton.

In an interview to Entertainment Tonight in 2015, Chelsea Clinton had said, “Ivanka and I talk about everything. I’m so grateful she’s my friend. I think she’s a great woman and I support her – I support all my friends.” In an interview with 20/20, as reported by Hollywood Life, Ivanka had, in turn, called Chelsea a “very good friend” and said, “She’s been a friend of mine long before the campaign and of course, will be a friend of mine after.”

And although both have affirmed that they will continue to be friends, they haven’t actually spoken since the election, by their own admission.

Trump aur Clinton, Bhai Bhai... Once Upon a Time

In fact, when Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were fighting it out for the Democratic nomination in 2008, the Trump family donated to Hillary’s campaign over Obama’s. He has even donated at least $1,00,000 to the Clinton Foundation, according to Politico, which he later in his campaign accused of being corrupt.

The two families have been photographed, looking rather cosy at a number of high profile events. The Clintons even attended Trump’s wedding to Melania Trump, and enjoyed front-pew seating, according to People magazine.

That in itself is not saying too much, because as the New York Times reported, Trump’s friendships and alliances appear to be transactional, and the Clintons were political movers and shakers – it made sense that they would associate.

But after a vitriolic election campaign which saw both families pulling out all the stops in pursuit of electoral gold, it’s somewhat disheartening that a friendship got caught in the crossfire.

Here’s to hoping for mended fences between the two First Daughters. Women first, after all.

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