Ivanka Trump has only been back at work for a matter of days, but it seems that the pressure of the White House may already taking its toll.
The 35-year-old, who returned to the day-to-day grind as a senior advisor to her father, President Donald Trump, on Monday, after spending the weekend at Camp David with her family, looked very somber as she left her house on Wednesday morning – a marked difference from the wide smile she wore on her return from her weekend getaway.
Ivanka’s somewhat gloomy appearance comes just days after a White House leak revealed that the First Daughter is derisively referred to as the ‘Princess Royal’ by aides, while her husband Jared Kushner, 36, is mocked for being a political neophyte by D.C. insiders.
Chin up! Ivanka Trump looked rather gloomy as she left her home on Wednesday morning
Stressed? The First Daughter, 35, wore a very somber expression, and failed to stop and wave at the cameras as she so often does
Leaving the family’s D.C. home shortly before 8am, Ivanka was pictured looking very glamorous – despite her straight-faced expression – wearing her hair in an elegant half-up style, while her make-up appeared to have been done by a professional.
The mother-of-three wore a chic white Oscar de la Renta dress, from the designer’s Spring 2012 collection, which had a bright blue floral pattern on the front, adding a pair of nude heels from her eponymous fashion line, as well as a pair of star-shaped diamond earrings.
But it looks as though even her stylish appearance couldn’t raise Ivanka’s spirits, and the blonde businesswoman failed to flash her signature smile at the cameras as she made her way into a waiting SUV before heading to the White House to begin work for the day.
Ivanka’s less-than-positive expression will come as no surprise to many, however, as her public outing comes less than 48 hours after a series of incredibly unflattering claims were made about her and her husband Jared, and their roles within Trump’s administration.
In a piece published by Vanity Fair, which examined the couple and their roles within the White House, it was also claimed that Jared and Ivanka – referred to by the publication as ‘exiles on Pennsylvania Avenue’ – are very unhappy with their lives in D.C. which is said to ‘puncture their self-esteem on a daily basis’.
Cause and effect: Ivanka’s moody appearance comes less than 48 hours after it was claimed she is referred to as ‘Princess Royal’ by White House aides
Upset: A feature published in Vanity Fair also claimed that she and her husband Jared Kushner are unhappy with their lives in D.C. which is said to ‘puncture their self-esteem every day’
Poker face? While Jared, 36, also faced equally unflattering accusations – including that he is viewed as a political neophyte by D.C. insiders – he seemed unfazed as he left his home
Happy as can be: The father-of-three gamely waved and smiled at the cameras as he prepared to start another day in the office
The duo, who left their comfortable lives in New York City in order to take up roles in the White House following Trump’s election, were also described as being incredibly star struck by their seemingly powerful titles, yet completely oblivious as to how little influence they really have on policy.
It was also suggested that they are afraid their positions within Trump’s administration will mean they are unable to return to the same Manhattan social circles which they frequented before the 2016 presidential campaign.
They are also reported to be weighed down by the investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged collusion with Russia – with Kushner being one of the focal points of the probe.
In its story, Vanity Fair cites a number of friends, acquaintances, and officials close to the couple.
The magazine notes that while President Trump is ’emotionally dependent’ on his daughter and son-in-law, they, in turn, are too weak and ineffectual to have any impact on actual policy.
Indeed, during their time in the White House there are said to have been a number of instances where Ivanka and her father have disagreed on policy – and President Trump has failed to take on-board his daughter’s opinions.
That’s better: Ivanka looked much more cheery on Monday morning, hours after returning from a weekend away at Camp David
Relaxed: The First Daughter spent the weekend with Jared and their three children, as well as her father, President Trump, First Lady Melania, and their son Barron
First there was Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military, which came in spite of the fact that Ivanka has spoken out in support of the LGBT community in the past.
It was also claimed at the time that Ivanka and Jared learned of the ban on Twitter, when the president posted about the ban for the first time, rather than hearing about it ahead of time.
Ivanka is also said to have advised her father to keep the US in the Paris Accord on climate change – advice which he once again ignored, announcing in June that he was pulling the United States out of the deal.
Then there was the First Daughter’s failed attempt to get Planned Parenthood to stop offering abortions in exchange for her father’s agreement not to begin defunding the organization as part of a health care law that would have essentially shut down the non-profit.
President Trump’s support for the health care law, which ultimately died in the Senate, led Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards to publicly criticize Ivanka, leaving her facing a bitter public backlash from people who claimed she was a hypocrite for claiming to stand up for women’s rights, while also supporting her father’s administration and policies.
The Vanity Fair piece, which was published in the October issue of the magazine, appeared online just hours after Jared, Ivanka, and their three children – Arabella, six, Joseph, three, and Theodore, one – returned from a weekend at Camp David with her father, First Lady Melania Trump, and their son, Ivanka’s younger brother, Barron.
No paparazzi! Ivanka’s shy daughter Arabella, six, hid from cameras as the family returned to Washington, D.C. on Sunday following their weekend getaway at Camp David
Sunday scaries: Despite her cheery yellow frock, Arabella seemed glum after coming back from the brief weekend trip to the Maryland retreat
Chic: Ivanka looked happy and relaxed upon the family’s return, wearing an all-white ensemble of jeans and a tank, with a sweater thrown casually around her shoulders
Ivanka’s mood as she left the helicopter which delivered the family back to D.C. on Sunday was markedly different to her gloomy disposition on Wednesday; the blonde businesswoman beamed with joy as she made her way across the White House lawn, carrying youngest son Theo and holding Joseph’s hand.
Wearing an all-white ensemble of jeans and a tank top, with a striped sweater thrown around her shoulders, Ivanka looked happy and relaxed after the weekend away.
Even hours later, when she and Jared were pictured leaving their home to head into the office on Monday morning – shortly before the Vanity Fair piece was published online – Ivanka looked in much better spirits, flashing a small smile at photographers as she left her home.
But while Ivanka’s apparent upset following the Vanity Fair feature was evident on her face on Wednesday morning, her husband Jared looked much more upbeat as he was pictured leaving their home – despite suffering the same unflattering portrayal as his wife.
Wearing his trademark navy suit and a burgundy tie, Jared happily smiled and waved at the cameras as he exited the property in the upmarket Kalorama Heights neighborhood.