Ivanka Trump splits from father on immigration, media

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Ivanka Trump, a senior White House adviser and the US president's daughter, on Thursday distanced herself both from her father's policies on immigration and his rhetoric on the media.

Speaking at a conference organized by news website Axios, the 36-year-old said she is "vehemently against" family separations and stressed that journalists are "not the enemy of the people."

Immigration 'low point'

"That was a low point for me," Ivanka said in reference to the White House's "zero tolerance" policy that led to the stripping of thousands of children from their migrant parents at the US-Mexico border.

"I am very vehemently against family separation and the separation of parents and children."

Her position aligns with the opinion of Americans, who polls show are largely opposed to the separations. A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll in late June showed that 88 percent of voters wanted migrant families to be kept together, and 61 percent blamed the White House for separations.

Ivanka Trump (R), White House adviser and daughter of President Donald Trump, speaks at an Axios360 News Shapers event on August 2, 2018 at the Newseum in Washington, DC. /VCG Photo

The immigration crisis caused a firestorm, and in June the president reversed course and ordered an end to the separations. However, as of a deadline last week, 711 of the roughly 2,500 separated children were still not reunited with their parents.

While Ivanka was said to have discouraged her father privately from the border policy, she said nothing publicly until after his reversal, when she thanked him for "taking critical action ending family separation."

Media 'not the enemy'

Ivanka also distanced herself on Thursday from her father's condemnation of the media as "fake news" and an "enemy of the people."

While saying she had "sensitivity" about why some people feel targeted by reporters, she said the moniker with which the president has branded them is misplaced.

Ivanka Trump (R), Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (C) and President Donald Trump (L) at Northeast Iowa Community College on July 26, 2018 in Peosta, Iowa. /VCG Photo

"I’ve certainly received my fair share of reporting on me personally that I know not to be fully accurate, so I have some sensitivity around why people have concerns and gripe, especially when they’re sort of targeted," she said.

"But no, I do not feel that the media is the enemy of the people."

The president later doubled down on his criticism of reporters, while claiming to agree with his daughter.

"They asked my daughter Ivanka whether or not the media is the enemy of the people. She correctly said no," Trump tweeted. "It is the FAKE NEWS, which is a large percentage of the media, that is the enemy of the people!"

Twitter Screenshot

Trump's attacks on the media violate the basic norms of press freedom and run the risk of triggering real violence against journalists, the UN rapporteur for freedom of expression said on Thursday.

"These attacks run counter to the country’s obligations to respect press freedom and international human rights law,” David Kaye said. "We are especially concerned that these attacks increase the risk of journalists being targeted with violence."

Ivanka in the White House

Many observers expressed confidence at the start of Trump's presidency that Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, formed a compassionate camp in the White House. However, on key issues they appear to have held little sway.

Last year, Ivanka urged her father to keep the United States in the Paris climate accord, but her prodding fell on deaf ears and the president pulled out.

Ivanka Trump and her husband, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, at the White House in Washington, DC, February 10, 2017. /VCG Photo

In November, as Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore faced accusations of misconduct with teen girls when he was in his 30s, Ivanka declared "there's a special place in hell for people who prey on children." But two weeks later, the president endorsed Moore, who ultimately lost to a Democrat.

As first daughter, Ivanka has traveled overseas representing the United States, attended meetings with visiting heads of state and traveled domestically, fueling speculation she may harbor future political ambitions of her own.

Last week she announced she was closing her fashion brand, following criticism about potential conflicts of interest and flagging sales. She said she might return to the private sector "at some point," but could not give a timetable and felt that was "unfair" to her company staff, so she decided to shutter the business.

(With input from agencies)

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