Ivanka Trump skips Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign announcement, says she’s done with politics

Donald Trump wanted all his family on stage to add some gloss to his presidential campaign launch, but daughter Ivanka point blank refused.

Former first daughter Ivanka Trump has confirmed she will play no part in her father Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

The New York Post had reported the former commander-in-chief had pleaded with Ivanka to be on stage with him when he announced his run. But to no avail.

Mr Trump’s son Don Jnr was also conspicuous by his absence, but is still said to be behind the fresh presidential tilt.

Former US President Donald Trump speaks at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida to publicly announce his candidacy. (Photo by ALON SKUY / AFP)

“I love my father very much.,” said Ivanka Trump in a statement released late on Tuesday (US time).

“This time around, I am choosing to prioritise my young children and the private life we are creating as a family.

“While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena,” she added.

“I am grateful to have had the honour of serving the American people and I will always be proud of many of our administration’s accomplishments.”

Kimberly Guilfoyle, Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, and Laura Trump – but no Ivanka. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP

Mr Trump’s new run for the White House is his third and is a rare example of a losing candidate, as he was in 2020, attempting to become President again.

His candidacy has split the Republican Party. While the divisive Mr Trump is a limelight magnet and has a solid core of voters right behind him, he has widely been seen as a factor in the party’s disappointing performance in last week’s midterm elections.

Several of the most high profile candidates explicitly backed by Mr Trump – such as Dr Mehmet Oz and election denier Kari Lake – failed to be elected.

Mr Trump has denied he was responsible for the Republicans’ less than stellar results.

His most likely challenger for the Republican ticket is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who romped home in his shoes state of Florida.

Many see him as the future of the party with similar policies to Mr Trump but less baggage. The most recent polling shows Mr DeSantis is liked by Republican voters more than Mr Trump in several key swing states.

Ivanka Trump has said she is done with politics. (Photo by Dominique JACOVIDES / POOL / AFP)

Ivanka’s conspicuous absence

Ms Trump’s husband, Jared Kushner, was part of the audience of approximately 1000 people that crammed Mar-a-Lago’s ballroom, in Florida, for the long-anticipated campaign kick-off, but his wife — an unpaid Adviser during her dad’s presidency — did not appear.

Sources told The Post on Monday that Donald Trump, 76, spent part of daughter Tiffany’s wedding this past weekend trying to cajole Jared and Ivanka to join him on stage for the announcement and present a united family front — appeals that were rejected.

“They both feel they got burned in Washington and don’t want to go back and expose themselves and their children to another bitter campaign,” an insider said of the couple’s reluctance.

In the event, Mr Trump spoke alone onstage for more than an hour while Mr Kushner and the former president’s two younger sons, Eric and Barron, watched from the audience along with former first lady Melania Trump.

The 45th president’s eldest son, Donald Jr., was unable to make it back from a hunting trip in time for the spectacle due to his scheduled flight being scrapped.

In contrast to Jared and Ivanka’s cold feet, sources say Donald Jr. and Eric are all in on their father’s third consecutive White House bid, as are their significant others — Kimberly Guilfoyle and Lara Trump, respectively.

The story appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Ivanka Trump skips Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign announcement, says she’s done with politics