Here are 10 Interesting and Lesser-Known Facts About Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's Amusing Facts
It may be said that Ivanka and Kushner are a political power couple. Ivanka Trump, the oldest daughter of President Donald Trump, serves as an unpaid advisor at the White House. She was formerly the chief executive officer of her lifestyle brand and an executive vice president at the Trump Organization. Kushner, on the other hand, is not only the publisher of the New York Observer but also a prominent advisor to President Trump and the owner of a massive real estate enterprise. Ivanka and Jared are affluent, famous, and handsome, and they appear to sincerely adore one another, but their relationship hasn't been without its peculiarities. The pair have been plagued by many uncomfortable revelations ever since they started dating.
1. Ivanka Calls Her First Date With Jared “The Best Deal We Ever Made!”
In 2007, a mutual acquaintance attempted to "set up" Jared Kushner and Ivanka to help them network in the real estate industry. Ivanka confessed to Vogue in 2015, "They very innocently set us up thinking that our only interest in one another would be transactional." She further went on to say, "Whenever we see them, we're like, the best deal we ever made!" Both Ivanka and Kushner hail from well-known families in the real estate industry. They excelled academically at prestigious universities, rose quickly through the ranks of their father's businesses, and were ambitious right from an early age.
2. The Duo Separated in 2008
Kushner's concerns that Ivanka's Catholic upbringing wouldn't mesh with his Orthodox Jewish family led to a temporary split between the two in 2008. However, they eventually made up and Ivanka eventually converted to Judaism in 2009. Ivanka once confessed to the New York Magazine, "One of the jokes I first started making when Jared and I first started dating is, I'm a New Yorker, I'm in real estate. I'm as close to Jewish, with an ‘i-s-h’ naturally as anyone can start off."
3. When They Initially Began Going Out Together, They Were Known as "Javanka"
The trend of combining names at the time, popularized by Brangelina (Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt), led to the creation of 'Javanka.' Washingtonian magazine sought to develop a moniker for Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner and tweeted, "Javanka were spotted dining at Rasika West End Thursday night." Twitter(Now X), exploded with several comments related to the term. One user wrote, "Javanka" is not a thing. Stop trying to make it happen." Another one replied, "Cut this s**t out, we are not calling them 'Javanka'."
4. Donald Trump and Jared Kushner bonded over "Real Estate"
Jared had lunch with his future father-in-law at the Trump Grill when he and Ivanka's relationship seemed to be progressing. Jared told Forbes, "Ivanka and I are getting serious, and we're starting to go down that path,' to which his father-in-law replied, "You'd better be serious on this." Further, Ivanka revealed, "Jared and my father initially bonded over a combination of me and real estate. There's a lot of parallels between Jared as a developer and my father in the early years of his development career."
5. The Couple’s Wedding Invitation Came With a Promotion
As reported by Page Six at the time, along with the wedding invitation flyers for several of Trump's other golf courses were included. However, Ivanka later claimed that the 'marketing flier' described in the article that was sent with the invitation was not true. Interestingly, Ivanka also revealed that her husband did not help her with the wedding preparations. She told Brides.com, "He put so much time and effort into designing the most perfect ring for me! I think he is now enjoying taking a backseat as I handle the rest." Ivanka gave a lot of thought to the preparations. She accessorized with diamonds from her own collection and a custom-made Vera Wang gown. She also tweeted at the time, "Relax, it’s just another party, just another party, just another party ... sigh."
6. Donald Trump’s Toast Was “Lame"
As reported by Esquire, when Trump took the podium, he completely stumbled. There was a visitor who said he "gave the most pathetic, lame, embarrassing speech I've heard in a long time." Trump told People that his toast was simple: "Be happy and enjoy your life." He also added, "It was a great wedding. I’m very happy. They’re really a beautiful, smart couple. I think you’ll hear a lot of great things from them in the years to come." Interestingly, as highlighted by Page Six, the bride kept reaching for the groom's hand throughout the ceremony.
7. Jared’s Mother and Father Gave the Couple a Spa Getaway
In the days after their wedding, Jared's parents treated the happy couple to a relaxing spa weekend in New Jersey, and Donald Trump took them golfing with Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Anderson at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. According to Jared's book, written in 2022, his future father-in-law was the one who strongly suggested they meet for business purposes. Donald Trump pushed the two to meet after Kushner made a significant real estate investment, and the 25-year-olds met together for lunch. According to Kushner's Breaking History: A White House Memoir, they hit it off after chatting about "NASCAR, New Jersey diners, and other unlikely interests we had in common."
8. They Appeared in a Season 4 Episode of Gossip Girl
Ivanka confessed to InStyle during her cameo. "I never miss an episode of Gossip Girl; I think I’m a cross between Blair Waldorf (played by Leighton Meester) and Lily van der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford) when it comes to the style. I like the uptown city style and a clean-cut, streamlined silhouette." Ivanka Trump added apparel and footwear to her already successful brand of fine jewelry around the time she visited the set of Gossip Girl. Six years later, as Donald Trump prepared to take office as President of the United States, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner both resigned from their positions as CEOs of their respective businesses.
9. Jared Frames Their Partnership as a Business Partnership
Jared admitted to Vogue, "I would say she is definitely the CEO of our household, whereas I’m more on the board of directors. We both pick up the slack for each other where it’s needed, but she doesn’t want to outsource mothering, so she’s very involved." Ivanka, on the other hand, called her husband 'solution-oriented'; she said, "His own dreams are bold, and I love that in someone. But he’s incredibly relaxed and calm. The world could be collapsing around him, and nothing fazes him. He’s very solution-oriented. Plus, it was nice finding someone who is a genuinely good person. I don’t take that for granted. I feel really lucky to have met, like, a great New Jersey boy."
10. Jared Gave Ivanka Coffee as an International Women's Day Gift
The Daily Mail reported that on March 9, Jared went to the gym before dawn and then brought his wife some coffee when he got back. Ivanka Trump took to Twitter to commemorate the day, saying, "Today, we celebrate women and are reminded of our collective voice and the powerful impact we have on our societies and economies." Her father also tweeted at the time, "I have tremendous respect for women and the many roles they serve that are vital to the fabric of our society and our economy. On International Women's Day, join me in honoring the critical role of women here in America & around the world."
