Ivanka Trump gave her first interview since her father assumed office. And boy, did she have a lot to say.
In a conversation with CBS News' Gayle King, the first daughter discussed everything from her role as assistant to the president, how she's not involved with her namesake brand anymore, and how she's adjusting to her new life in Washington, D.C. But she also addressed her critics and the thoughts they have about her involvement with her father's administration.
King asked Trump about the criticism that has been thrown her way for not speaking out on issues such as the defunding of Planned Parenthood, the rolling back of policies that protect the LGBTQ community, or the pushback against recognizing climate change. But Trump rejected the notion that she has not addressed these topics with her father.
"I would say not to conflate lack of public denouncement with silence. I think there are multiple ways to have your voice heard. In some cases, it’s through protest, and it’s through going on the nightly news and talking about or denouncing every issue on which you disagree with. Other times, it is quietly and directly and candidly," she said.
She added, "So where I disagree with my father, he knows it. And I express myself with total candor. Where I agree, I fully lean in and support the agenda...and hope that I can be an asset to him and make a positive impact. But I respect the fact that he always listens. It’s how he was in business. It’s how he is as president."
King also asked if the first daughter believes she has been "complicit" in the policies that the White House has been pushing forward over the past couple of months. Trump argued against that characterization, saying that she's complicit in "wanting to be a force for good and to make a positive impact."
She added, "I don’t know what it means to be complicit, but you know, I hope time will prove that I have done a good job and much more importantly, that my father’s administration is the success that I know it will be."
After the interview aired, people on social media (and even Merriam-Webster) were highly critical of the substance of the interview and Trump's defense of her position.
"[Don't] conflate lack of public denouncement with silence." -- @IvankaTrump explaining away her sinister complicity with eloquent nonsense
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) April 5, 2017
🤔
— Tom Namako (@TomNamako) April 5, 2017
Ivanka to CBS in re: silence on Planned Parenthood, LGBT rights:
"I would say not to conflate lack of public denouncement with silence."
Ivanka's track record of being a "force for good" at WH:
— Marcy Stech (@etchaStech) April 5, 2017
-repeal of workplace protections for women
- attempts to gut maternity care, PP
Ivanka: "I like discussion. It's classy and smart. Denouncement is bad and rude."
— Kathryn Jezer-Morton (@KJezerMorton) April 5, 2017
Relieved to see that she knows what's at stake here. https://t.co/hyCpgWhkLc
If ivanka wants to champion important issues around women &jobs-great-we really need help. BUT what is the plan? soundbites are noise https://t.co/a2rLn5dcpi
— Stephanie Ruhle (@SRuhle) April 5, 2017
📈'Complicit' is our #1 lookup after Ivanka Trump told CBS "I don’t know what it means to be complicit." https://t.co/HEqWBltPUc
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) April 5, 2017
IVANKA: I stand by my father, a literal monster, regardless of what he says or does
— Mark Byrne (@markwby) April 5, 2017
ALSO IVANKA: lol of course family can act independently https://t.co/RS4N4zWfYx
"Ivanka, are you complicit?" pic.twitter.com/7ndS89lurj
— itsonlyzach (@itsonlyzach) April 5, 2017
Oh so she talks to him in the back room but he doesn't listen. I feel better, Ivanka. I really do. https://t.co/I6IV56V8AJ
— Andrew Asaki (@hapa_asaki) April 5, 2017
But of course, there were also users who enjoyed Trump's TV appearance.
@CNN IVANKA😇 IS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ALL WOMEN! SHE😇UPLIFTS WOMEN AND FOR WOMEN TO ACHIEVE MORE!
— Jonco (@Jonco50) April 5, 2017
Very proud of Ivanka"s interview with Gail King.....she's wonderful and will be of great service to our country...... https://t.co/lYkoSPPxOw
— PattiBuckner (@DaisyMae100) April 5, 2017
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