During what was supposed to be a straightforward tax policy speech in North Dakota back in 2017, President Donald Trump veered into deeply personal territory—and left his audience with more than just talking points about corporate tax rates. As he outlined his vision for “major, major tax cuts, the biggest since Ronald Reagan,” and pushed to slash the business tax rate from 35 percent down to around 15 percent, Trump suddenly decided to invite his daughter Ivanka onto the stage to defend the family against nepotism accusations.
That’s when things got weird.
As Ivanka Trump, then a 35-year-old shoe designer and special advisor to the president, walked out to stand beside him, Trump couldn’t resist sharing what he found endearing about their relationship. He began by addressing critics who questioned whether his appointment of his daughter constituted a conflict of interest or abuse of power.
“Sometimes they’ll say, ‘you know he can’t be that bad a guy, look at Ivanka,'” Trump said, recounting the attacks on his decision-making. But then he shifted into unexpectedly personal territory, revealing something that would spark discomfort online for years to come.
“She said, ‘Dad, can I go with you?’ She actually said, ‘Daddy, can I go with you?’ I like that, right?” Trump shared from the podium. The comment hung in the air—a father proudly announcing that he enjoys being called “daddy” by his adult daughter, and doing so in front of a room full of people and cameras.
The moment immediately felt off to observers who later reviewed the speech footage. It wasn’t necessarily what was said, but the way it was said—the emphasis, the pride in his voice, the decision to share something so intimate in such a public forum.
It has never been a secret. @realDonaldTrump has bragged on TV about wanting to f**k his own daughter @IvankaTrump, who is incidentally nowhere to be seen on his campaign because he is losing.
Trump likes them young. Just like Epstein did. https://t.co/SYqBrJq1Gz pic.twitter.com/DXErFIguMB
— KT “Special MI6 Operation” (@KremlinTrolls) November 2, 2024
For those who’d been paying attention to Trump’s public statements over the years, this wasn’t shocking so much as it was another data point in a troubling pattern. He has repeatedly made comments about Ivanka’s appearance that have drawn significant backlash on social media and in mainstream media circles.
Most notably, during a separate interview, he’d declared: “You know who’s one of the great beauties of the world? Ivanka. My daughter Ivanka. She’s 6 feet tall, she’s got the best body.” The comment raised eyebrows then, and it continues to resurface whenever discussions about Trump’s relationship with his daughter come up.
The bond between Donald and Ivanka has always been notably strong, which Trump has never shied away from publicly acknowledging. Her husband, Jared Kushner, became a key player in Trump’s political dealings in the Middle East, further cementing the family’s intertwining of personal and professional relationships.
Well, sure, if that 13 year old girl happens to be his “very beautiful” daughter, Ivanka. pic.twitter.com/uV9GYgI17R
— Pooetryman (@POOetryman) January 3, 2026
Trump has been vocal about his frustration with critics who’ve raised questions about this dynamic. When accusations of nepotism surfaced during his presidency, he felt compelled to address them head-on—though his defense often involved pointing to Ivanka as evidence that he couldn’t be “that bad a guy.”
What Trump seemed to miss—or perhaps deliberately ignore—was that defending nepotism by highlighting his daughter’s accomplishments only drew more attention to the uncomfortable nature of his public statements about her. The “Daddy” comment, combined with his repeated praise of her physical appearance, created a narrative that many found unsettling, regardless of his intentions.
Whether intentional or not, Trump’s willingness to share such personal details about his relationship with his adult daughter blurred lines that most public figures maintain carefully and deliberately. It’s a dynamic that continues to fuel discussion and discomfort whenever it resurfaces.
