“I am not trying to get ‘top level security clearance’ for my children. This was a typically false news story.”Â
— Donald J. Trump
In the very first days after the November election Americans became outraged that President Donald Trump had allowed his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to attend classified meetings and meetings with foreign heads of state. In an unprecedented move, Trump had also tried to obtain top level security clearance for both Ivanka and Jared. As outrage grew, Trump pulled back, ultimately stating that he was not trying to gain them access:
Over the next few weeks Ivanka and Jared announced they would be moving to Washington, D.C., and American were told that Jared Kushner would become Senior Advisor to the President, but Ivanka Trump would not be joining the administration.
That changed on Tuesday.
“Ivanka Trump will work out of an office in the West Wing and get a security clearance, a White House official told CNN Monday,” CNN reports, calling it a “top security clearance.”
CNN adds that official “also confirmed Trump will receive government-provided communication devices, although she will not be a government employee.”
For those thinking this is a new move, based on Trump’s increasingly failing administration, think again.
New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman reports via Twitter, “the office Ivanka is taking has been held aside for her since Trump took office.”
So, this has been in the works from the start. It was just delayed so public outrage could be minimized? Perhaps the administration thought Americans wouldn’t notice?
In fact, as this video, titled, “President Trump Leads a Roundtable Discussion with United States and German Business Leaders,” which the White House posted late last week shows, Ivanka Trump is absolutely already part of the administration:
The New York Times weighs in on the ethics implications:
Some responses via Twitter:
Robert Reich:
Former Obama NSC Spokesperson:
Others:
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