While Donald Trump has left reality television, he hasn’t shaken the bumbling dad trope. On Wednesday, President Trump attacked Nordstrom on Twitter after the luxury department store dropped his daughter’s designer label.
Obviously unseemly, the presidential episode raises another question. If Trump’s children are as successful as he bragged on the campaign trail, shouldn’t they be able to make it in business without their father’s help? Until the leader of the free world learns to let go, Trump will stunt his kids’ growth.
There wasn’t any reason to get involved anyway. Just 21 minutes after his daily intelligence briefing was scheduled to start, Trump took a moment to kick off the fashion faux-pas. “My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by Nordstrom,” he typed at 10:51 A.M. “She is a great person – always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!”
Twitter quickly erupted, a boycott was born, and Nordstrom stock took a tumble all before noon eastern time. It didn’t matter that the retailer said its decision was apolitical. The damage was done, but Nordstrom wasn’t the one that got hurt. Its stock bounced back later while Ivanka’s brand plummeted.
The embarrassment already cost market share. After Trump fleeced Nordstrom, the New York Times reports that off-price retailer TJ Maxx started pulling Ivanka’s brand from its shelves. After all, what business will want to partner with the president’s daughter if it puts them at risk of a public lashing from the leader of the free world?
To clean up this mess, Trump’s normal approach won’t work. Clearly, Twitter’s a powerful tool. With just a few tweets he’s convinced Carrier to stay stateside and Lockheed Martin to reduce its prices. But Nordstrom doesn’t keep air conditioners and multi-role stealth fighters in stock. They sell luxury goods to customers, many of whom likely didn’t vote for the president.
There’s only one way for Trump to untangle this mess for his daughter. To truly focus on the issues of national importance, the president needs to divest completely. It’s not enough for him to set aside his assets. He needs to ignore the family business for the next four years. It’d remove questions of impropriety and help improve his stock as a serious leader.
Of course, this would be difficult. Trump’s clearly an adoring father. But he needn’t worry; the kids will be alright. Ivanka can take care of her own company. Her product became high end long before Trump announced his candidacy, mostly because the product is the polar opposite of his style. While he sports oversized suits and taped ties, Ivanka has rolled out a sleek and modern clothing line. So long as Trump doesn’t drag her clothing brand through the mud again, the company will rebound.
So while Trump’s made it clear he won’t leave business behind for the good of the country, maybe he can do it for the sake of his own kids?
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
