SUSPICIOUS

Ivanka Trump Won New China Trademarks Before Father’s ZTE Reprieve

Beijing awarded first daughter 13 new trademarks in the country in last three months.

China on Sunday granted Ivanka Trump’s company final approval for its 13th trademark in the country in the last three months, a move that raises new conflict-of-interest concerns after her father extended a lifeline to Chinese telecom giant ZTE. This month alone, the first daughter’s company won seven new trademarks at around the same time her father, President Trump, vowed to get blacklisted ZTE “back into business, fast.” The company, which was barred from doing business with U.S. companies after violating U.S. sanctions and lying to investigators, is now on track to have restrictions lifted under a new deal offered by the Commerce Department. Critics say the successes of Ivanka Trump’s brand overseas may point to a wider problem of foreign governments trying to curry favor with the White House. Norman Eisen, chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, has warned that some countries may also see Ivanka Trump’s trademark bids “as requests they cannot refuse.”