# Ivanka's new NON-position in the White House **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 21, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704 "2017-03-21T17:54:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/1 "2017-03-21T17:54:30Z")
Apparently Daughter Dearest [received a security clearance, a secured phone and is getting her own office](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ivanka-white-house-office_us_58d056ffe4b00705db520f50?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009)…without actually holding any particular job or title. So what the fuck is she supposedly doing, who does she report to…and who is supposed to report to _her_? Is there any precedent for this? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/2 "2017-03-21T18:03:47Z")
Special un-paid advisor to the President? Probably reports to the President. Nobody can officially report to her, but people will probably still do what she says. Meh, not that troubling really. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/3 "2017-03-21T18:06:24Z")
I’ve always – _always_ – shrugged at the idea of a First Lady, and I now find myself shrugging exactly as hard at the idea of a First Daughter. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/4 "2017-03-21T18:12:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Apparently Daughter Dearest [received a security clearance, a secured phone and is getting her own office](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ivanka-white-house-office_us_58d056ffe4b00705db520f50?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009)…without actually holding any particular job or title. So what the fuck is she supposedly doing, who does she report to…and who is supposed to report to _her_? > Is there any precedent for this? It may be similar to access granted to previous First Ladies. I’m not aware of any other precedent, although certainly open to learning of any. SO far as I can tell, it appears legal. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/5 "2017-03-21T18:13:55Z")
Shameful nepotism previously unheard of. She must have gotten tired of pushing clothing that nobody wants to buy. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/6 "2017-03-21T18:16:14Z")
No big deal. Presidents have often used family members as untitled advisers. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/7 "2017-03-21T18:16:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > It may be similar to access granted to previous First Ladies. I’m not aware of any other precedent, although certainly open to learning of any. > > SO far as I can tell, it appears legal. It’s the precedent and purpose I am questioning, not the legality. Is this similar to access given to previous First Ladies…and don’t we already have a First Lady? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/8 "2017-03-21T18:18:42Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I’m not aware of any other precedent, although certainly open to learning of any. Franklin Roosevelt used his oldest son, James, as an unofficial adviser and assistant. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/9 "2017-03-21T18:19:17Z")
The purpose is to have his daughter advising him while he’s President. Not that hard to understand, really. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/10 "2017-03-21T18:23:37Z")
Asking the obvious, but… what can she possibly advise him on? I doubt she knows any more than he does about any national interest topic or policy. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/11 "2017-03-21T18:25:55Z")
Bernadette Meehan, former National Security Spokesperson under Obama, is reportedly pissed. She tweeted this: > [@](#): > > I had a security clearance & West Wing office. @IvankaTrump diminishes the value of expertise & hard work it took me & others to get there [Ivanka Trump Will Have Her Own White House Office | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ivanka-white-house-office_us_58d056ffe4b00705db520f50)? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/12 "2017-03-21T18:26:48Z")
According to the video in the link, White House lawyers say she will function as the President’s “eyes and ears”. Daddy’s little snitch, in other words. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/13 "2017-03-21T18:28:06Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Bernadette Meehan, former National Security Spokesperson under Obama, is reportedly pissed. She tweeted this: > > [Ivanka Trump Will Have Her Own White House Office | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ivanka-white-house-office_us_58d056ffe4b00705db520f50)? Not really relevant to whatever debate might be happening in this thread, though, is it? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/14 "2017-03-21T18:30:38Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Not really relevant to whatever debate might be happening in this thread, though, is it? Is there a debate going on? Despite the forum we’re in, I missed it. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/15 "2017-03-21T18:30:53Z")
So maybe she’ll end up being the 21st century Edith Wilson, after Trump’s sundowning becomes a problem. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/16 "2017-03-21T18:31:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > According to the video in the link, White House lawyers say she will function as the President’s “eyes and ears”. > Daddy’s little snitch, in other words. Who gets to function as his brain? They don’t keep pets. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/17 "2017-03-21T18:33:51Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > Asking the obvious, but… what can she possibly advise him on? I doubt she knows any more than he does about any national interest topic or policy. Tie straightening. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/18 "2017-03-21T18:35:38Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > Asking the obvious, but… what can she possibly advise him on? I doubt she knows any more than he does about any national interest topic or policy. The same thing that appointed advisors have advised presidents on pretty much for as long as there have been presidents. Basically, presidents always have a kitchen cabinet of friends or trusted advisors that they look to. This would be something similar, since Trump obviously trusts at least some of his children (as an aside I love the bit when John Oliver asks him what the name of his youngest daughter is :p). I’m not seeing this as worthy of even debate, to be honest…not in the face of the things Trump is trying to do or plans to do. Healthcare is something we should be talking about, or his recent dust up in banning electronics of people flying in from various furriner paurts, or his travel ban V2.1. This? Meh. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/19 "2017-03-21T18:35:51Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > Asking the obvious, but… what can she possibly advise him on? I doubt she knows any more than he does about any national interest topic or policy. She couldn’t possibly know less. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/20 "2017-03-21T18:36:54Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > Asking the obvious, but… what can she possibly advise him on? I doubt she knows any more than he does about any national interest topic or policy. Are you fucking kidding? I’d rather have Ivanka as president than her father. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704.md?page=2)