Ivanka Trump touched down in Israel this week looking serene, radiant, and seemingly taking a victory lap for achievements she had virtually nothing to do with.
Modestly dressed and camera-ready, basking in the glow of a peace deal that she didn’t negotiate, wasn’t involved in, and has no formal qualifications to comment on, Ivanka stood on stage next to her husband, Jared Kushner, soaking up applause from Tel Aviv to the Knesset like a seasoned diplomat on a homecoming tour.
But as she smiled for cameras and stood beside her husband Jared Kushner at a rally in Tel Aviv, critics were quick to point out the obvious: Ivanka had absolutely nothing to do with the Gaza peace deal she’s now being celebrated for.
And yet, there she was — front and center — taking what looked like a victory lap.
As her father, president Donald Trump, delivered a rambling speech in the Knesset on Monday, Ivanka soaked up applause from the audience. One hour into his remarks, Trump broke into a personal aside about how he “didn’t even know” Ivanka had converted to Judaism back in 2009. She stood there quietly, nodding, as if any of this made sense.
The entire spectacle was surreal — and for many, infuriating.
As The Independent’s Holly Baxter noted, Ivanka Trump has no diplomatic experience. Her political resume begins and ends with “daughter of Donald, wife of Jared.” That hasn’t stopped her, of course, from reappearing whenever there’s a photo op to be had or a soft-focus moment to remind the public that she still exists — just far enough from politics to avoid the fallout, but close enough to grab the credit when there’s a headline worth co-opting.
Meanwhile, Kushner — who also holds no official role in Trump’s current administration — is reportedly involved in shaping the “future of Gaza,” alongside none other than former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. That sentence alone could make seasoned foreign policy experts put their heads through a wall.
It’s the kind of unearned involvement that’s become a hallmark of the Trump orbit.
Back when Ivanka was a senior White House adviser, she was famously spotted sliding into a seat at the 2017 G20 summit next to world leaders like Xi Jinping and Angela Merkel, as if she belonged there. No one elected her. No one asked. But she did it anyway — because being born into power is apparently as good as earning it now.
And Ivanka’s idea of showing up is playing ambassador for a deal she wasn’t involved in negotiating — one that, critics say, lacks broad legitimacy and fails to meaningfully address Palestinian concerns.
But that hasn’t stopped the Trump family from treating it like a crowning achievement.
Presidential children have historically played supporting roles — they pose with turkeys, show up at holiday events, and then go back to their private lives. Ivanka, though, has carved out an entirely new lane: unofficial diplomat, occasional influencer, and full-time brand manager for the Trump name.
This isn’t about policy. It’s about optics.
And it’s exactly what Trumpism has always done best — take nepotism, polish it, and sell it as leadership. In this version of America, family loyalty replaces expertise.
Qualifications are optional. Appearances are everything.
If this were any other political family, the backlash would be deafening. Imagine the headlines if Malia or Sasha Obama had shown up in Israel during a fragile ceasefire, claiming symbolic credit for an agreement they had no hand in crafting. Fox News would be in meltdown mode. Congressional hearings would already be scheduled.
But Ivanka glides through it all — perfectly blow-dried, strategically silent, occasionally photogenic — the embodiment of a system that now rewards lineage over leadership.
Even the Kennedys, for all their dynasty-building, at least understood the need for credentials. JFK made Bobby attorney general, but Bobby was an actual lawyer. Beau Biden, likewise, served in the Army and as Delaware’s AG before ever entering national politics.
Ivanka’s most relevant experience is being adjacent to power. Her presence in Israel isn’t about substance — it’s about staying relevant. And it’s not even subtle. She and Jared literally stood before cheering crowds as if they’d just wrapped up months of shuttle diplomacy — but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Still, Trump’s world rewards loyalty and bloodlines above all else. The original White House nepotism playbook was torn up years ago and replaced with a group chat. Jared and Ivanka went from fashion and real estate to advising the leader of the free world with no formal experience. Now, they’re back — re-entering the global stage without apology or explanation.
It’s hard to ignore the symbolism. In the background, actual experts are being fired. Science is being sidelined. Institutions are eroding. And Ivanka — who once sold handbags and posed in staged office photos — is being applauded for just standing there.
So yes, this may very well be peak nepotism. A woman with no relevant experience, praised for her presence. A man with a failed real estate track record shaping the future of Gaza. And an entire political movement cheering them on as if this is all perfectly normal.
As Baxter puts it: If the Founding Fathers could see her now, maybe they wouldn’t rage. Maybe they’d just nod, sigh, and say, “So the monarchy won after all.”
