First Family of the USA: From Kai to Kimberly: This is the Trump clan

In his first term as US President, Donald Trump was criticized for elevating family members to political positions. Daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner had significant influence in the White House in official advisory roles. On January 20, the Republican returns to government headquarters, this time without family presence in close proximity. But the Trump clan is by no means invisible. Who does what – and where? An overview.

Trump’s third wife Melania will take on the role of First Lady again. During the election campaign, the 54-year-old was particularly conspicuous by her absence. During Trump’s first term in office, Melania often made negative headlines – for bizarre Christmas decorations or inappropriate clothing. This time, the former model could become more of a part-time first lady. According to media reports, it is unlikely that she will move back into the White House in Washington in January.

Trump has five children from three marriages: Don Jr., Ivanka and Eric – her mother Ivana died in July 2022. Tiffany – her mother is Marla Maples. And Barron – he is Melania’s son.

Don Jr. (46): Trump’s eldest son played a particularly large role in the election campaign – appearing in front of supporters, giving interviews and is also said to have had a great influence behind the scenes. Don Jr. is said to have promoted Trump’s choice of Senator JD Vance as his running mate. At the Republican convention in Milwaukee it was clear how well the two men got along. However, Don Jr. has not yet been offered a position in Trump’s administration – instead, he is reportedly set to join a venture capital firm. However, it can be assumed that he will continue to pull the strings in the background.

Ivanka (42): During Trump’s first term in office, Ivanka worked as an advisor to her father and was considered the first daughter. She now lives in Miami with her husband Jared Kushner and their children and says she wants to concentrate on her family. She played no role in the election campaign and only rarely appeared at her father’s side.

Eric (40): Unlike Ivanka, Eric was actively involved in his father’s election campaign. He has a leadership role in his father’s company, the Trump Organization. However, it doesn’t seem as if he can emerge from the shadow of his big brother Don Jr.

Tiffany (30): Tiffany is Trump’s daughter from his second marriage to Marla Maples. She has occasionally taken part in the election campaign, but has largely withdrawn from the public eye. The qualified lawyer is currently expecting her first child and has tried her hand at singing and modeling in the past.

Barron (18): Trump’s youngest son is studying at New York University and has not yet commented publicly. He is said to have advised his father behind the scenes during the election campaign. He reportedly suggested online appearance formats to Trump to better reach young men. His mother Melania is said to be heavily involved in Barron’s upbringing and future planning.

Lara Trump (41): Eric’s wife is an important figure among the Republicans. In March, after being nominated by Donald Trump, she was elected co-chair of the party’s leadership – a role in which she was closely involved in the campaign strategy. There is speculation that she is being considered as a possible successor for Marco Rubio’s Senate seat in Florida – Rubio is set to become the new Secretary of State.

Jared Kushner (43): Ivanka’s husband was the lead Middle East advisor during her father’s first term in office. This time, he won’t be taking an active role in the White House – he intends to focus on his real estate business. But Kushner is still considered an influential voice in Trump’s ear. During his time as an adviser, he built relationships with Middle East decision-makers who could be important to Trump. However, critics point to the entrepreneur’s significant financial interests in the region. Kushner himself described the coastal area of ​​the Gaza Strip as “very valuable” in February and suggested temporarily relocating Palestinian civilians to “clean up” there.

Kimberly Guilfoyle (55): Don Jr.’s fiancée is a prominent figure on the American right and was active in the election campaign. But she has no official position.

Michael Boulos (27): Tiffany’s husband is an entrepreneur from a wealthy family. The couple married in 2022 at Trump’s private estate Mar-a-Lago in Florida and rarely appear politically.

Massad Boulos (64): Tiffany’s father-in-law will advise Trump on questions about the Middle East and the Arab region. Boulos was born in Lebanon. The president-elect praises him as a “highly respected” businessman with extensive international experience and a “longtime advocate of Republican and conservative values.”

Charles Kushner (69): Jared Kushner’s father is to become US ambassador to France. The real estate entrepreneur had been sentenced to two years in prison in the past for, among other things, tax evasion – Trump pardoned him. Kushner had already served his sentence, but with the president’s pardon his criminal record was erased.

Among Trump’s ten grandchildren, Don Jr.’s eldest daughter particularly stands out – on Tiktok, Instagram and Co., Kai Trump gives her young audience insights into her life, mainly while golfing. The 17-year-old made her first major public appearance at the Republican Party convention in the summer. With a self-confident speech, she presented herself as a proud representative of the Trump clan. A comment made by her father on the sidelines of the event caused discussion: Don Jr. called his daughter “sexy” in a Tiktok video. This was quickly compared to previous comments from her grandfather Donald Trump, who once said of Ivanka: “If she wasn’t my daughter, maybe I would date her.”

While most of Trump’s family are loyal to him, his niece Mary (59) is an exception. She is considered one of his harshest critics and has repeatedly warned against a second presidency of her uncle. Mary Trump often appears in public, is the author of several books and at times also had her own podcast (“The Mary Trump Show”).