Republican presidential candidate and former US president Donald Trump stands with his family, including his grandchildren, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on the third day of the Republican National Convention (RNC). Reuters
When most people hear the name Donald Trump, they think of his real estate empire and his former presidency. Many also think of his large family, many of whom have been by his side during the presidential campaign and are making their presence felt at the Republican National Convention currently underway in Milwaukee.
A significant portion of his family has also become synonymous with the Republican Party, with various Trump family members now exerting influence: Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, for example, serves as co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
But while some members of Trump’s family have been in the spotlight, others have stayed out of the spotlight this time around: His wife, Melania Trump, has been largely absent from Trump’s rallies, as well as the Republican National Convention, and his daughter Ivanka, who served as a top adviser in the White House, and her husband, Jared Kushner.
Let’s take a closer look at his family and the role they play in the campaign.
Donald Trump Jr.
As Donald Trump prepares for the Nov. 5 election, no one in the Trump family wields more influence than his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.
The 46-year-old has been ubiquitous in the Trump campaign so far, and the biggest sign of his influence there is his selection of J.D. Vance as his running mate. Financial Times Trump Jr. and Vance are reportedly close friends and speak to each other on the phone and by email almost daily.
He has also been active in raising funds for his father, and his support for gun rights and criticism of US involvement in foreign wars have made him a favorite with “Make America Great Again” voters.
Multiple reports have said the 46-year-old Trump’s comments could have a major impact on his administration if he wins. NBC News Trump is reportedly looking to take a larger role in selecting political appointees during the presidential transition, with a person close to him telling the outlet that he “want to make sure good people get good positions.”
On Wednesday, his daughter Kai spoke at the Republican National Convention, describing Donald Trump as a “regular grandpa” who spoiled her and her siblings with “candy and soda” when their parents weren’t looking.
Trump struck an aggressive tone in the speech, saying he had “never been more proud” of Trump since his response to the assassination attempt at a campaign rally on Saturday, and he also blasted Joe Biden’s administration over inflation, border policy and so-called cancel culture.
Eric Trump
Eric Trump, Donald Trump’s third child, has been as active as his brother in his father’s quest for the White House. While he keeps a lower profile than his brother, Eric has lobbied on issues that are important to him. He also ran the family business when his father was president.
He has been a staunch defender of the former US president as he faces recent legal troubles. Fox News In the interview, Eric called the attack on his father’s home a “totally coordinated attack” and claimed that “Joe Biden totally approved of this.”
Lara Trump
Donald Jr. and Eric have been around for a while, but the newcomer, so to speak, is Eric’s wife, Lara Trump. Some say she’s the new trio pushing Donald Trump through the election campaign.
And her rise was underscored by her appointment this year as co-chair of the Republican National Committee, where she plays a key role in fundraising, spreading Trump’s message and fostering unity within the party.
On Tuesday night, the same day the presidential candidate’s wife spoke, Lara took the stage and made waves by talking about her father-in-law. “When I look at Donald Trump, I see an incredible father, father-in-law, and of course, grandfather to my two children,” Lara said in her speech. “This is someone who has sacrificed for his family, and this is someone who has really sacrificed for his country.”
The 41-year-old former tabloid television producer’s role in this election has often been compared to that of President Trump’s daughter Ivanka in 2016.
Eric Cortelasse, a reporter who recently interviewed Trump, time “Her speech was a major introduction to the nation because, while she has played roles in campaigns before and has been a member of Mr. Trump’s inner circle and family for the past eight years, this is her first position of real power within the Republican Party,” Trump said in a profile for the magazine.
Some political experts say Lara brings a female element to the Trump campaign that was previously missing.
Melania Trump
Ever since Donald Trump announced he was running for president again, his wife Melania Trump has been keeping a low profile, sparking questions everywhere about the former First Lady’s whereabouts: “Where’s Melania?”
She has missed her husband’s 2024 campaign launch, nearly all campaign events and court appearances, and the first presidential debate, sparking rumors that the two are no longer a couple. She also missed the first three days of the Republican National Convention, but is said to be attending the final night but will not be making a statement.
Also read: If Trump wins, Melania Trump won’t be full-time First Lady. What this means
Melania Trump broke her silence after the assassination attempt on Trump in a lengthy letter in which she offered personal feelings about her husband, describing him as a “generous and compassionate man” and calling for the country to come together.
“This morning, let’s rise above the simplistic thinking that breeds hatred, malice and violence,” she wrote. “We all want a world where respect is above all else, where family comes first, and where love transcends all. We can make this world happen again. Each of us must demand it back.”
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner
After Trump won the 2016 election, his second daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner rose to prominence as surrogates for the president, and were criticized by many as symbols of nepotism when they served as White House advisers.
Kate Andersen Brower, author of several books about the White House, Financial Times“Ivanka was criticized by many Democrats who thought she would be the person in the White House who could calm her father down, but she couldn’t. She either didn’t want to or couldn’t.”
But she and her husband stepped back from politics after Trump’s defeat in 2020. When her father announced he would run again, she also released a statement saying, “This time I have decided to prioritize the private life we are building as a family with our young children. I will always support my father, but going forward I will do so outside of the political arena.”
Ivanka has not yet appeared at the Republican National Convention, but is expected to attend on Thursday. CBS News Melania Trump and her daughter Ivanka Trump will definitely be at the Republican National Convention.
“They’re coming in full force, so they’ll definitely be here,” Trump’s son said. “Ivanka’s a great supporter of my dad and she loves him dearly, and of course Melania Trump does too.”
Trump’s other family members
Other family members include Tiffany Trump and Barron Trump, but both have shunned the limelight.
Tiffany, the former US president’s fourth child, has not played a political role in her father’s campaign or term in the White House, but spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2016 and 2020 to lobby for her father.
Then there’s Barron Trump, the 18-year-old son of Donald and Melania Trump, who has also chosen to stay out of the public eye. In May, it was reported that he would be one of Florida’s delegates to the Republican National Convention in July, but the next day his mother announced that he had turned down the offer.
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