Ivanka Trump’s happy snap sends social media trolls into a frenzy

HER business touch is undeniable, and her influence over Donald Trump is unquestionable. So why is social media so nasty when it comes to Ivanka Trump?

THE daughter of the US President has proven she has the magic touch business-wise, but simply cannot turn a trick on social media.

Ivanka Trump, whose fashion line reported soaring growth of 61 per cent in 2016, has been trolled mercilessly on Twitter for what seemed to be an innocuous happy snap she shared with the Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to the US this week.

Ivanka Trump tweeted a happy snap during the Chinese President’s visit. Social media hated it.

“Thank you President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan for your visit to the United States,” Trump tweeted, in the snap of herself, Melania and the President with the Chinese leader and his wife.

But trolls quickly turned up the negatives, questioning whyl Ivanka was in the photo in the first place.

@IvankaTrump wow...shameless photobomb. i wonder how melania really feels about being the fifth wheel? is she getting fired as the first lady?

— PanadoAF (@PanadoAF) April 11, 2017

@IvankaTrump One person in this picture is a 'fifth wheel'. And she's not Chinese...

— Seheho (@neamhspleach) April 10, 2017

@IvankaTrump so how do you say "fifth wheel" in Chinese?

— Bob Castrone (@BobCastrone) April 9, 2017

The comments fall into line with continuing questioning about Ivanka’s role as adviser to her father during his presidency, and also her influence in key decisions he has made.

Many commentators have questioned whether it was this tweet which finally prompted Donald Trump to launch missiles against Syria in response to a chemical attack upon its people last week.

Heartbroken and outraged by the images coming out of Syria following the atrocious chemical attack yesterday.

— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) April 5, 2017

President Trump launched the missile attack little more than 24 hours after Ivanka’s tweet. Until that point, the White House had been blaming Barack Obama’s policy in the region for the Assad atrocity, which claimed dozens of lives.

Ivanka’s influence over Donald Trump is undeniable, but did he really launch missiles after her emotional tweet about Syria? Picture: AFP/Jim Watson

There was speculation in Washington last night that Ivanka’s tweets may have prompted her father’s change of heart. Ivanka, who works as an unpaid adviser to the President, is thought to have been particularly distressed by the photos of gassed children.

Within hours, President Trump broke his silence — again on Twitter — saying: ‘These heinous actions by the Assad regime cannot be tolerated.’

After the missile attack was launched, Ivanka, 35, congratulated her father, saying: ‘The times we are living in call for difficult decisions — proud of my father for refusing to accept these horrendous crimes against humanity.’

IVANKA KEEPS MAKING MILLIONS

The frosty reception Ivanka gets on social media has done nothing to impact sales of her fashion line. Sales of her clothing collection soared by nearly 61 per cent in 2016, the company that manufactures products for the president’s daughter’s line and other brands said on Monday.

The figures from the G-III Apparel Group cover wholesale revenue from February 2016 through January 2017, the company said in a recently released annual report.

Trump’s merchandise suffered a 26 per cent dip in sales in January 2017, but overall her product lines enjoyed annual growth of 61 per cent. Picture: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

That means it did not have data for February, when the department stores Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus dropped Trump’s clothing and accessories under pressure from the “Grab Your Wallet” boycott campaign, which maintains a list of companies that sell products or support her father Donald.

The stores’ decision prompted a controversy during which Trump’s counsellor Kellyanne Conway called on viewers during a television interview to buy Ivanka Trump merchandise.

Kellyanne Conway’s blatant televised promo of Ivanka’s fashion company was slammed as illegal, but might have been instrumental in increased sales. Picture: AFP/Tasos Katopodis

Critics said her comments highlighted the conflicts of interest of a White House run by the billionaire businessman advised by family members.

Ivanka Trump products generated revenue of $47.3 million in the reporting period, compared with $29.4 million the previous year.

The G-III Apparel Group — which also produces clothes for Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s and Karl Lagerfeld — said the Ivanka Trump brand is among the top three that contributed to an increase in its operating profit. That amounted to $840.9 million, against $836.8 million the year before.

Kellyanne Conway’s comments may have helped Ivanka Trump’s fashion line. Picture: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Still, the Ivanka Trump brand represented only 1.97 per cent of G-III Apparel’s total revenues.

But the results appear to contradict Nordstrom’s stated reason for dropping the Ivanka Trump line. The retailer had cited falling sales.

Whatever the world thinks of Ivanka, her business success is undeniable. Along with husband Jared Kushner, she has built a business empire worth as much as $740 million, newly released financial disclosures show.