Ivanka Trump admitted her gilded life as President Donald Trump’s eldest daughter has come with a lonely price, revealing she’s been forced to remain intensely “guarded” and has struggled to maintain close friendships while growing up in the lap of luxury, Wonderwall.com can report.
The 44-year-old businesswoman — a former fashion designer and executive vice president at the Trump Organization who also worked as a senior advisor to the president during his first term — made the confession on a recent episode of the “Diary of a CEO” podcast, explaining how her childhood pain has followed her own kids as they’ve grown up in the spotlight.
Ivanka worries about people liking her for the ‘wrong reasons’
Ivanka Trump revealed she grew up very “guarded” around other people. By: @TheDiaryOfACEO/YouTube
“I grew up the child of wealthy and accomplished parents. And so I do think there’s like, a natural barrier that goes up,” Ivanka said of her real estate developer dad and late socialite mother, Ivana Trump, who were the symbols of 1980s money and success.
“You’re worried about people, especially when you’re a kid, liking you for the wrong reasons,” she noted.
“I see this now with my son. You know, he wants to be loved by his friends, and I appreciate that. That’s good for who he is, not for who we are, and certainly not for what we have,” Ivanka shared. She didn’t indicate if she was talking about Joseph Kushner, 12, or Theodore Kushner, 10, her sons with husband Jared Kushner, 45. (The couple also has a daughter, Arabella Kushner, 14.)
‘I didn’t have any friends’
Ivanka Trump said too many people have “really disappointed” her throughout her life. By: MEGA
“I do think being the child of famous parents and living such a privileged life, I had this guard, and that guard served me really well for a long time,” the first daughter explained.
However, she explained, that meant “I didn’t have any friends.” Amid the “really tumultuous life that I’ve had, ups and downs,” she added, there were people “who really disappointed me.”
She said she was referring to “close, close friends who didn’t show up for me or who changed because of my circumstances or what was happening around me,” although Ivanka didn’t say whether she was referring to losing friends after her father’s controversial pivot into Republican politics and his subsequent White House runs.
Ivanka is OK with being ‘burned’
Ivanka Trump said she’s taught herself “to be more trusting” over the years though still struggles with it. By: @TheDiaryOfACEO/YouTube
Ivanka spoke about building “walls” only to realize that “they don’t serve you,” and realizing that the only way to have a true human connection is through “trust,” which doesn’t come easily to her.
“So I have to trust people. Now I have a good radar. I’m not foolish. I think I’m a very good read[er] of people, and I think it’s one of my strengths, and I think it’s why I haven’t been surprised by a lot of people,” the New York native said of her intuition and perceptiveness.
To prevent herself from growing too “cynical,” Ivanka said she’s “taught myself to be more trusting,” even though she’s aware she might get hurt in the process.
“And to the extent that means periodically, I’ll be burned, like, I’m OK with that trade-off because I think it will lead to more meaningful connections in my life,” she added.
Ivanka’s private circle
Some people were stunned to learn that Kim Kardashian is one of Ivanka Trump’s close friends. By: @kimkardashian/Instagram
These days, Ivanka keeps her friendship circle private. Which means fans are often surprised when she’s linked to certain people.
For example, the entrepreneur is good friends with reality TV star Kim Kardashian. Some Trump watchers were blown away when she traveled from her home in South Florida to Beverly Hills, Calif., to celebrate Kardashian’s 43rd birthday at an intimate dinner in October 2023.
The SKIMS founder returned the love in a celebratory post when Ivanka marked her own 43rd birthday in October 2024, writing on Instagram, “No one sweeter than you… Happy Birthday.”