Mixing Business with Presidency, Ivanka Trump Sees Profits in China

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump have carved out influential roles in their father's administration, while also refusing to divest from businesses. (Photo: Getty)

Mixing Business with Presidency, Ivanka Trump Sees Profits in China

China approved major trademarks for Ivanka Trump's jewelry business on same day Ivanka met China's president at Mar-a-Lago

On April 6, Ivanka Trump's fashion brands got a massive boost when China approved three trademarks for her business, "giving it monopoly rights to sell Ivanka brand jewelry, bags and spa services in the world's second-largest economy," the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

What else happened on April 6? Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, met with China's president during the U.S.-China summit at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

"Ivanka has so many China ties and conflicts, yet she and Jared appear deeply involved in China contacts and policy. I would never have allowed it," commented Norman Eisen, a former White House ethics counsel under Barack Obama, to AP. "For their own sake, and the country's, Ivanka and Jared should consider stepping away from China matters."

Yet Ivanka Trump, like her father, has refused to cut ties to her business while also assuming a large role in the Trump administration.

And this isn't the first time Ivanka Trump has seen business boom since her father's ascendance to the presidency. Despite boycotts, Ivanka Trump's fashion brands are flourishing, and in particular saw a major boost in profits after Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway in a February TV interview urged viewers to purchase Ivanka Trump products.

It's also not the first time that the Trump family businesses have seen favorable treatment from Chinese regulators since the November election.

Last month, China awarded the Trump business empire 38 trademarks. At the time, AP noted that Donald Trump initially applied for those trademarks while publicly campaigning that he would penalize China economically. Since becoming president, Donald Trump's tune on China has changed.

"Put the business on hold and stop trying to get trademarks while you're in government," Richard Painter, who served as White House counsel under George W. Bush, advised the Trump family in comments to AP.

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