Ivanka Trump: Politics, Family, Real Estate, Fashion, Music, and Life | Lex Fridman Podcast #436
Added: Jul 3, 2024
Ivanka Trump grew up with a passion for building and architecture, inspired by her parents who were both in real estate. From a young age, she would look out at the New York City skyline and imagine contributing to it. She was drawn to the multidisciplinary nature of real estate, which combines design, engineering, project management, and more. Her mother, Ivana Trump, was a major influence as a trailblazing businesswoman and athlete. Ivana grew up in communist Czechoslovakia and later became an Olympic skier before succeeding in fashion and real estate in the United States. She taught Ivanka about living life to the fullest while also being a formidable professional. Ivanka's father, Donald Trump, instilled in her the importance of asking questions and getting input from people at all levels, not just relying on experts.
Views on Architecture and Design
Ivanka expressed admiration for both classic and modern architectural styles. She appreciates Gothic buildings like the Tribune Tower in Chicago as well as sleek modern skyscrapers. In her view, exceptional architecture should be rare, but there are many compelling examples of innovative modern design. She is excited by new developments in architecture involving robotics, 3D printing, and sustainable materials. When approaching design projects, Ivanka emphasizes the importance of both form and function. She believes in spending time on-site and living with materials to truly understand how a space will work. Her philosophy involves bringing together talented teams while maintaining a strong personal vision and taste.
Business Career and The Apprentice
Before entering politics, Ivanka had a successful career in real estate development and fashion. She worked on major projects like the renovation of the Old Post Office building in Washington D.C. and the Trump International Hotel in Miami. In fashion, she built a brand focused on clothing and accessories for professional women. Ivanka also appeared as a judge on her father's TV show The Apprentice. She found it to be an intense but fascinating experience that provided real-world business lessons. However, she struggled with watching herself on camera and felt self-conscious about her television appearances.
Transition to Politics
Ivanka's life changed dramatically when her father decided to run for president in 2015. She had not been involved in politics previously and found the intensity and scrutiny overwhelming at first. However, she also found it to be an incredible growth experience. On the campaign trail, she was struck by how openly people would share their deepest concerns and aspirations with her. This gave her a new perspective on the challenges facing many Americans. When her father won the election, he asked Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner to join his administration as advisors. Though hesitant at first, Ivanka felt she couldn't turn down the opportunity to serve and potentially make a difference.
Work in the White House
As an advisor to the president, Ivanka focused on issues like workforce development, family leave policies, and criminal justice reform. She worked to double the child tax credit as part of the 2017 tax reform bill, which she says benefited millions of families. Ivanka also advocated for paid family leave and helped secure it for federal workers. She found the process of getting things done in Washington to be extremely challenging, requiring endless meetings and coalition building. However, she felt the ability to impact people's lives at scale made it worthwhile. Ivanka tried to find bipartisan support where possible, working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Approach to Public Attacks
Throughout her time in politics, Ivanka faced intense criticism and attacks in the media. She made a conscious choice not to respond or engage in back-and-forth arguments. While difficult at times, she felt getting into the "mud" of politics went against her nature and values. Ivanka drew on the Jewish concept of "lashon hara" (evil speech) which holds that speaking negatively of others damages the speaker as much as the target. She decided the momentary satisfaction of hitting back wasn't worth the cost to her soul. This stoic approach was somewhat unusual in politics but felt right to her.
Post-White House Life
After leaving the White House in 2021, Ivanka made the decision not to be involved in her father's 2024 presidential campaign. She explained this choice as rooted in wanting to prioritize her young children and private family life. Ivanka felt she couldn't dabble in politics - it required being all in, which would come at too high a cost for her kids at this stage. She also found the negativity of politics to be at odds with what feels good to her as a person. While she continues to love and support her father, she plans to do so outside of the political arena. Ivanka expressed that she now feels her professional ambitions are more integrated with simpler pleasures in life.
Current Pursuits and Interests
Since leaving politics, Ivanka has returned to business pursuits while maintaining a lower public profile. She is working on real estate projects, including developing a luxury resort on an island in the Mediterranean. Ivanka has also taken up new interests like surfing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. She finds surfing to be a humbling experience that requires being in harmony with nature. Jiu-jitsu has given her a sense of empowerment and awareness. Ivanka appreciates how the Valente Brothers, who run her jiu-jitsu studio, incorporate philosophy and history into their teaching. She sees martial arts as beneficial for both physical skills and character development.
Family Life
Ivanka spoke warmly about her life as a mother to three children - Arabella, Joseph, and Theodore. She tries to cultivate empathy and meet each child where they are, recognizing their different personalities and needs. Ivanka said her kids have taught her how to be more playful and present in the moment. She shared stories of dancing in the rain with her daughter and making coffee with her young son. While juggling work and family is always challenging, Ivanka expressed deep gratitude for the joy and grounding her children provide. She also mentioned adding two dogs and a hamster to their family menagerie.
Reflections on Personal Growth
Looking back on her journey, Ivanka feels she has evolved and integrated the different aspects of her personality and ambitions. She is more comfortable with ambiguity now compared to the all-consuming drive of her 20s. Ivanka believes it's important to look back on your past self with some embarrassment, as that's a sign of growth. She has found that parenthood has made her a softer, more empathetic person. While still driven, Ivanka says she now finds more joy in simple pleasures and being fully present. She hopes to keep growing and exploring new interests throughout her life.
Views on Current Events
When asked about the legal issues facing her father, Ivanka expressed that it is painful to watch as his daughter who loves him. However, she maintains hope that love will win out in the end. Regarding the state of politics and division in America, Ivanka believes the surface-level conflicts amplified by social media don't reflect the reality on the ground. In her experience traveling the country, she found most Americans share similar hopes and concerns regardless of political affiliation. Ivanka feels the loudest voices get the most attention, but don't represent the majority.
Interests and Aspirations
Ivanka shared her love of live music, mentioning artists like Adele, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Chris Stapleton as favorites. She finds live concerts to be rare moments of true presence and connection. Ivanka also expressed interest in space exploration, hoping to one day see the Earth from space or even walk on the moon. Her bucket list includes climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, seeing the Northern Lights, and earning a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Above all, Ivanka hopes to maintain her sense of curiosity and keep learning new things throughout her life.
Outlook on the Future
Despite the challenges facing the world, Ivanka maintains a sense of hope for the future. She finds hope in nature and in experiencing the goodness of other people. While acknowledging humanity's flaws, she believes we are overall a "pretty good species" capable of creating beautiful things. Ivanka hopes that as we expand into space, it will give us a greater appreciation for the preciousness of Earth. She emphasized the importance of exploring out of curiosity and wonder rather than a desire to conquer. Ultimately, Ivanka expressed love for humanity and optimism that we will continue to create and build amazing things.
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