New York – Three marriages, five children, eight grandchildren: The composition of the future first family contrasts greatly with that of the more traditional Obama family.
While Barack and Michelle Obama had two daughters aged 10 and 7 when they moved into the White House, Trump’s family story is more complex.
Here is a list of the people in his immediate family circle who are likely to be major figures after the real estate mogul takes office in January:
– Melania Trump is the president-elect’s third wife. The Slovenian-born former fashion model will have her finger on the pulse of power as the first lady, but it’s unclear how much of her influence she will opt to use. During the campaign she stayed in the background along with 10-year-old Barron, her son with Trump. Her resume has been ridiculed for containing exaggerations and she was criticized for her speech at the Republican National Convention in July, much of which was lifted from Michelle Obama’s speech at the 2012 Democratic convention. An American citizen for 10 years, Melania Trump is rumoured to speak five languages. She comes across as more reserved than her husband, who is 24 years her senior. In the most high-profile speech she gave on the campaign trail, she suggested that cyberbullying might be a cause she takes up.
– Ivanka Trump, 35, is the daughter from Trump’s first marriage with Ivana and is considered the closest confidant of the future president. Some media reports have referred to her as the true first lady because of the amount of influence she has. In her father’s race for the White House she is believed to have had a say in the decision to remove campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and in the selection of Trump’s running mate. Although the mother of two young children is seen as an advocate for women’s rights, she stood by him after he made sexist and negative comments about women and encouraged him to take up more moderate positions on topics such as parental leave. She also helped mobilize women during the campaign. Her influence is likely to remain enormous even though under US nepotism law she cannot hold a cabinet position. Like Melania, Ivanka is a former fashion model and has her own clothing line.
– Jared Kushner, 35, Trump’s son-in-law, could become a key figure in the Trump White House and he and his wife Ivanka could transform into the new power couple of Washington. Trump’s foreign policy speeches have appeared to carry Kushner’s imprint. The Jewish publisher of the weekly magazine the New York Observer also was involved in deliberations over establishing a Trump media operation after the election. The New York Times nicknamed him the de facto campaign manager. He has connections with influential people such as Henry Kissinger, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the former head of conservative Fox News cable channel Roger Ailes.
– Eric and Donald Trump Jr, the two adult sons of Trump are, like Ivanka, from his first marriage. Eric, 32, and Donald, 38, both have leading roles in their father’s business, The Trump Organization. Some observers have speculated that the brothers will take over the business as soon as Trump has to devote himself entirely to life in the White House. Eric Trump is married to television producer Lara Yunaska; Donald Trump Jr has five children with fashion model Vanessa Kay Haydon. Both brothers are passionate big game hunters.
– Tiffany Trump, 23, was the least visible of the older siblings in Trump’s campaign. She is the only child from Trump’s second marriage with Marla Maples and is not as close to her father as his other adult children. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in May with degrees in sociology and urban studies.
– Barron Trump, 10, is the only child of Trump and his wife Melania. He will be the youngest boy in the White House since John F Kennedy Jr in the early 1960s. He will grow up in the public eye, and his young age also means the American people will experience Trump in the role of father. Trump calls him “Little Donald.”
– dpa
