Ivanka Trump Piles on The Self-Pity to Explain Exiting Politics
The first daughter explained why she was not returning to the White House under her father’s second administration.
Brennan Asplen/Getty Images
Ivanka Trump called politics a “dark, negative business” while explaining her decision not to return to work in the White House for her father’s second term in office.
“I love policy and impact—I hate politics,” Ivanka told the Him & Her show, a lifestyle podcast hosted by husband-wife podcasting duo Michael and Lauryn Bosstick. “And unfortunately, the two are not separable. You know, there is a darkness to that world that I don’t really want to welcome into mine.”
“It’s a very dark, negative business,” Ivanka added. “And some people love, like, the gladiator aspect of it. You know, the fight. That was never me.”
TODAY on the show. An @IvankaTrump exclusive 🎙️@laurynbosstick , @MichaelBosstick & @IvankaTrump discuss 👇
— HIM & HER SHOW (@tscpod) January 13, 2025
- How Ivanka created a multi-million dollar brand.
- Dealing with negativity & misconceptions from the public.
- The most important lessons her parents ever gave.
-… pic.twitter.com/q0IwvWSAFU
Later, she described her time in politics as entering an “arena… that was different and people acted differently than the previous arena of the business world and the private sector.” But she also said she took pride in not changing her own core values over the course of her tenure.
Ivanka said she enjoyed seeing the impact her work had on constituents—specifically mentioning her advocacy for the child tax credit and paid family leave—a policy that was eventually passed for federal employees in 2019.
After Trump left the White House following his loss in the 2020 presidential election, Ivanka said she refocused her goals to “be the best freaking mom I could be,” after feeling like she missed spending time with her young family.
“I did the best I could, and I think I was there for all the really critical moments, but you know, you don’t want to miss the small ones either,” Ivanka said. “The main reason I am not going back to serve now is—I know the cost, and it’s a price I’m not willing to make my kids bear.”
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