Ivanka Trump boasted on Thursday she has created 12 million new job ‘training opportunities’ as the president bragged about his pride in his daughter.
The first daughter, speaking before President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a slew of Cabinet officials, touted the one-year anniversary of her Pledge to America’s Workers program.
‘Over the last year more than 300 businesses – 300 businesses – have signed the pledge and today we celebrate reaching 12 million pledged agreements,’ she crowed.
Ivanka Trump boasted she has created 12 million new job ‘training opportunities’
President Donald Trump bragged about his daughter’s work
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence joined Ivanka Trump at the celebration
The president praised her work.
‘I think I’m allowed to be proud of my daughter,’ he said, ‘but the fact is she’s worked so hard at this.’
‘Nothing like this has been done before,’ the president said. ‘So congratulations Ivanka. Congratulations and keep it up. When are you going to hit 24 million?’
‘At this pace very soon,’ she replied.
In her remarks, the first daughter echoed her father’s talking points about the strong American economy.
‘This campaign was born out of a tremendous economic surges happening across our country,’ Ivanka Trump said.
‘Today more Americans are working than ever before. Virtually every single demographic is achieving historically low unemployment rates,’ she added.
The 30-minute event was designed to highlight Ivanka Trump’s work.
She led a discussion with some of the workers and companies that have taken part in the program.
She also thanked the president and several of the Cabinet officials in the room, including Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Housing Secretary Ben Carson, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, and White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow.
Ivanka’s husband, White House Counselor Jared Kushner, was also in the audience.
Several CEOs joined the event including: Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America; Barbara Humpton, CEO of Siemens; Jay Timmons, President and CEO of National Association of Manufacturers (NAM); and Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin.
The companies sign a pledge that promises to ‘invest in both students and workers by providing opportunities for education and training that will help more Americans thrive in the modern workplace. Specifically, over the next 5 years, we pledge to create enhanced career opportunities for XX individuals, including through increased apprenticeships and work-based learning programs, continuing education, on-the-job training, and re-skilling.’
Ivanka Trump, who serves as counselor to the president, has traveled the country to promote the program and has bragged about it at events and campaign rallies with the president.
President Trump gives his daughter a kiss
Ivanka Trump sported a light-grey outfit from the Brock Collection
She also appeared to have a shorter haircut
Earlier this month, the president defended his daughter after she was criticized for her role at the June G20 conference and said she had created 10 million jobs.
‘Ivanka has worked on almost 10 million jobs training and going to companies and getting them to hire people. But the people, the foreign leaders really like her a lot,’ Trump said of her.
The first daughter became the target of online memes after a video – posted by the French government – that showed her interacting with other world leaders went viral.
For Thursday’s celebration at the White House, Ivanka Trump donned a light-grey, mid-length skirt that featured several long tassels, and a matching long sleeved peplum jacket from Los Angeles-based designer Brock Collection.
She also appeared to be sporting a fresh, blunt haircut.