First Daughter Ivanka Trump Secretly Meets With Planned Parenthood Executive


The nation’s First Daughter, Ivanka Trump, met with an executive from Planned Parenthood to discuss a variety of programs that could involve the Trump administration. Ivanka Trump has had her father’s ear since he took the oath of office, but she still gets overridden by Steve Bannon’s suggestions much of the time. She is seemingly against some of the things that happen in the Trump administration, and it appears she wants to change certain policies.

Ivanka still has an undefined role in her father’s administration with an office at the White House and a full security clearance. Her influence is growing in the administration, and this could lead to Ivanka seeing a larger role in Trump’s inner circle sooner, rather than later. This is critical to know as an improved role means more weight behind her words. She has already had a big hand in the Trump administration, so more influence is not unlikely.

Why is all of this significant? Ivanka Trump is a liberal and has been known for this due to her support for several liberal policies that President Barack Obama installed, such as the clean water and air act combined with women’s healthcare. All of these programs, however, are being reconsidered by President Trump, so it should not come as a shock that news of Ivanka Trump meeting with Planned Parenthood has come to light.

[Image By Paul Sancya/AP Images]

Apparently, Ivanka met with Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards shortly after Ivanka’s father Donald Trump’s inauguration in January. According to a report out of Politico, Ivanka Trump actually requested the meeting as she wanted to discuss the GOP’s future plans to defund the organization. This was obvious due to conservatives taking over and possibly putting in a new GOP healthcare act. All Republicans agreed to defund Planned Parenthood, which may have been the only thing most agreed on from this bill.

The Executive Vice President of Planned Parenthood, Dawn Laguens, claimed that Richards agreed to the meeting to discuss PP’s programs, how it’s funded, and the potential consequences of defunding the organization. Laguens spoke to Politico about the situation and wanted to set the record straight regarding what Planned Parenthood actually does with the federal money they get in. She claimed…

“The main thing that Cecile Richards was doing was explaining that the money doesn’t actually go to abortions. We get reimbursed the same way a hospital does. We were clearing up misinformation about how this works.”

[Image by Olivier Douliery/MediaPunch/IPx]

It is well known that Planned Parenthood has backed every Democratic candidate due to their stance on the funding of their organization. Richards backed Democratic candidate Hilary Clinton in a major way for the 2016 Presidential election. Obviously, she knew that talking with Ivanka Trump about Planned Parenthood and what it does could be useful since her candidate did not win.

Ivanka Trump and Cecile Richards have a big thing in common, being the daughters of public figures. She is the daughter of former Texas Governor Ann Richards, and she has made it a career to focus on women’s issues and empowerment. Meanwhile, Ivanka Trump has made it known that she is for the same things since her father has taken on the role as President. In fact, Ivanka helped to organize meetings between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German business leaders during her U.S visit with President Trump.

She also sat in on a women’s business initiative discussion involving Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She is even slated to attend the Berlin Summit on the gender employment gap and empowerment of women. The summit, called the W20 Summit, will be held later this year. In addition to this, she still serves as a prominent figure in the Trump administration, and she is now an official government employee.

Ivanka Trump did not just meet with Cecile Richards to discuss things surrounding Planned Parenthood, but she also met with other progressive leaders in the women’s movement. This includes National Women’s Law Center co-president Marcia Greenberger and senior adviser to the National Partnership for Women and Family, Judy Lichtman.

[Image by Evan Vucci/AP Images]

Sadly for supporters of Planned Parenthood, it is unlikely that Ivanka Trump can keep this organization funded if a GOP healthcare bill gets pushed. However, if Democrats come in and can develop a new healthcare plan, things could still continue for Planned Parenthood. Regarding the idea that people do not want to pay for abortions with federal money, EVP Dawn Laguens does bring up a good point in that federal money does not pay for this, but rather, for other services.

However, if that is the case, would it not also be just as valuable to promote these services through hospitals that provide female medical care such as gynecology? Federal money could be used there for similar services. If this could be done more often, Planned Parenthood really would not be as valuable considering lower cost care could be provided at clinics and hospitals revolving around women’s care. This might be something the GOP would be behind and an area Ivanka Trump might have more luck pushing than continuing to fund Planned Parenthood. Considering these services are already provided at hospitals anyway, simply using federal aid here over Planned Parenthood would offer the same things women need and they could get it at the same cost as they would at Planned Parenthood. Ivanka and the Trump administration, along with Congress, could see success in that area.

[Featured Image By Andrew Harnik/AP Images]

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