Ivanka Trump seems to be trying to distance herself from her family - but her strategy is backfiring
On Wednesday, US Weekly revealed that its latest cover would feature Ivanka Trump. The headline: "Why I Disagree With My Dad."
While US Weekly does not actually quote the first daughter in the article, the piece paints Ivanka in a positive light, as a progressive force who disagrees with some of her father's political decisions.
"Sometimes she and Jared are a big influence on Donald and sometimes he takes other opinions into account and does something they disagree with," an "Ivanka insider" told US Weekly on the topic of the Paris climate agreement in the piece posted online. "They win some and they lose some."
It is worth noting that US Weekly was bought by American Media Inc., a company known for its support of President Trump that also owns National Enquirer, in March.
The cover story comes as Ivanka continues to make other seemingly strategic decisions to appear more "relatable" to the average American.
On Monday, the first daughter was spotted leaving her home in Washington, DC, wearing a $35 dress from Target, The Daily Mail reported. The fashion choice is a far cry from when first lady Melania Trump made headlines in May for wearing a $51,5000 jacket.
A branding expert previously told Business Insider that Ivanka's fashion decisions could be seen as purposeful ploys to distance herself from her family.
After Ivanka drew criticism for posting an Instagram of herself wearing a $5,000 gown a day after her father signed his first controversial travel ban that left many immigrants stranded or detained at airports, Eric Schiffer, the CEO of Reputation Management Consultants, said the photo "shows that she is doing things that are asynchronistic, or not connected to Trump's actions."
"The dress picture says 'I don't necessarily want to be associated or aligned with the Trump administration,'" Schiffer said.
On Wednesday, Ivanka Trump was spotted doing something else most Americans can relate to - picking up a latte at Starbucks.
The first daughter's Instagram and Twitter feed are filled with photos of her children, mixed in with photos of smiling politicians and foreign dignitaries that have begun to appear in recent months.
"I wasn't expecting the overwhelming number of comments I received in response to these candid family snaps," Trump wrote in her book, "Women Who Work," on sharing her children's photos on social media. "So many people expressed surprise and relief that I was comfortable revealing a more private side of myself. ... These comments emboldened me to share all aspects of my life - not just my more polished persona - more frequently."
So, while her brothers' Twitter feeds are filled with tweets supporting their father, at times citing controversial right-wing figures and conspiracy theories, Ivanka's social media attempts to maintain a more down-to-earth vibe.
Being spotted buying Starbucks, wearing a $35 dress, and posting on social media are all choices - attempts to build a more relatable image in a way that the rest of her family has not. However, many progressive Americans are not swayed.
Perhaps no event highlighted how dismissive progressive Americans have become of Ivanka's attempts to distance herself from her father than the early-June backlash to the first daughter's LGBTQ Pride Month tweet.
"I am proud to support my LGBTQ friends and the LGBTQ Americans who have made immense contributions to our society and economy," Ivanka tweeted.
Instead of finding support, most responses took the first daughter to task for not publicly denouncing her father's stances on issues such as climate change and legislation protecting LGBTQ rights.
US Weekly may say that Ivanka "disagrees" with her father, but it's going to take more than behind-the-scenes disagreement if the first daughter wants to gain many Americans' trust.
If Ivanka wants to distance herself from her father, she's going to have to take some political action, instead of buying lattes and wearing inexpensive dresses.