POTUS Trump’s daughter Ivanka, who made headlines late last week when she travelled alongside her father to the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, has entered the spotlight yet again, due to a now viral video (originally released by the French Presidential palace) sporting her desperate attempt to join a chat between the UK’s outgoing premier Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, and IMF head Christine Lagarde.
There have emerged several videos where Ivanka, former executive director of the Trump Organisation and currently a top White house aide, rubs shoulders with the biggies, but in the said clip, the whole setting is way out of the ordinary.
American Crown Princess Ivanka attempts to intervene in conversation among grownups Theresa May, Christine Lagarde, Emmanuel Macron & Justin Trudeau in excruciating clip released by @Elysee Palace. pic.twitter.com/Mc5QfzOPBp
— Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) 30 июня 2019 г.
While the four can be seen actively taking part in a lively discussion during a break, and Ivanka is trying to butt in and offer her opinions, while the others seem to disregard her completely. Lagarde was caught flashing such a glance that it couldn’t go unnoticed online causing genuine ridicule from the public.
One user even noted that the body language clearly “marginalises” the US president’s daughter.
Their body language is incredible. Clearly marginalizing Ivanka. Backs turned, no eye contact.
— Nicholas Santilli (@nrsantilli) 29 июня 2019 г.
“Lagarde's expression says it all. ‘Why are you here and why are you talking’”, one cheekily remarked, while another signalled that Ivanka looks exactly like a kid “trying to get on the adult table” on Thanksgiving.
She's like a little kid who's trying to get on the adult table at the Thanksgiving dinner😁
— Juha Keskinen (@MacFinn44) 29 июня 2019 г.
Another elaborate on the comparison, saying “grownup Lagarde” is “hushing” a child during the adult talk:
LaGarde: Hush child... the grownups are speaking.
— 🇮🇪Fiona☘ Anne🇮🇪 (@fastiller) 30 июня 2019 г.
Meanwhile, a no less common stance is that the marginalisation is due to Ivanka Trump clearly lacking appropriate qualification for the event.
She has no qualifications so why would anyone pay attention to her?
— Matthew Milo (@CaptZanzibar) 30 июня 2019 г.
Ivanka incompetence is as bad as Trump. I feel terrible for our country.
— Denise Wu (@denisewu) 29 июня 2019 г.
The chorus of disapproval was led by outspoken US Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, who commented on Twitter that being somebody’s daughter “actually isn’t a career qualification”.
“It hurts our diplomatic standing when the President phones it in & the world moves on. The US needs our President working the G20. Bringing a qualified diplomat couldn’t hurt either”, the New York congresswoman posted resolutely. Ocasio-Cortez is one who has more than once called out the president for giving roles in his administration to his closest relatives, a daughter and her husband Jared Kushner, but she herself faced similar complaints earlier regarding her boyfriend, Riley Roberts, who was revealed to have received $6,000 in funds from a political action committee linked to Cortez’s campaign.
Ivanka, in the meanwhile, led the US team in Osaka in meetings with top figures from China, Japan, Russian, India and etc. She was also spotted posing for pictures with quite a few prominent politicians. Separately, the currenty top White House aide led special talks on women’s economic empowerment in the framework of the gathering.
