New York: Nearly every morning since their father’s stunning victory on Election Day, three of Donald Trump’s grown up children walk through the Trump Tower lobby and board an elevator. But are Don Jr., Ivanka and Eric going to the campaign office on the fifth floor? Their business offices on the 25th floor? The president-elect’s penthouse on the 56th floor? That uncertainty highlights the multiple roles the children play for their father. For the past year, the lines were constantly blurred between political campaign and business empire, raising questions about a possible conflict of interest between Mr Trump’s White House and his sprawling business interests.
The children are poised to wield incredible influence over their father, even if they don’t follow him to Washington. Mr Trump said consistently during the campaign that if he won, those children would stay in New York and run his business. But the three — plus Ivanka’s husband, Jared Kushner — were all named to the transition team’s executive committee. So far, they’ve been heavily involved in shaping the new administration. They’ve sat in on meetings and taken late night calls from their father. They advocated for making Reince Priebus, the Republican National Committee chairman, the White House chief of staff. On Thursday, Ivanka and Mr Kushner were present for Mr Trump’s meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Mr Trump has insisted he will build a wall between his White House and his company by placing his holdings into a blind trust, but with his children as its trustees. Federal requirements are that independent outsiders run such trusts. Mr Trump’s company would be the largest business portfolio to belong to a modern sitting president. Federal ethics rules would allow him to run his business from the White House, or, perhaps, influence decisions made by his children. That raises conflict of interest concerns. For example, Mr Trump could set domestic policy while making deals abroad that could affect his corporation.
