Melania, Ivanka's 'Chilly And Tense' Relationship Thaws After Trump's Guilty Conviction: Report
Donald Trump's legal predicament brought his family closer, according to a source.
Trump's wife, Melania, and daughter, Ivanka, were previously rumored to have a strained relationship. However, things have reportedly improved between the two women because Trump's guilty verdict from the hush money trial "brought the entire family closer together than they have ever been," a source told Page Six.
"This includes a thaw in the sometimes chilly and tense relationship between Melania and Ivanka," the source continued.
"The entire family, including all Trump's children, and their [significant others, including Don Jr.'s fiancee] Kimberly Guilfoyle, are all circling the wagons."
Ivanka and Barron were never seen in court during the trial. However, they were all present at the Trump Tower to be with Trump in the wake of the case.
"The family is using Trump Tower's secret garage entrance and [an] elevator that takes them with no stops directly to his penthouse," the source said. "Words of support have overridden any past tension as the family comes together. The family has closed ranks and is behind the campaign. Friends say they haven't seen the family on the same page like this since his inauguration years ago."
Ivanka also showed her support for her father in a post on social media after he was found guilty of 34 felonies. She shared a throwback photo of her when she was still a child with her dad.
"I love you, dad," she captioned the post on her Instagram Story.
Trump's guilty verdict served as a major fundraising boon for him. However, a Palm Beach and New York insider told Page Six that behind the scenes, "Donald's hurting inside, and this guilty verdict has really taken a toll on him."
Several sources claimed that Melania and Ivanka seemingly did not get along well. Both played significant roles during Trump's presidency, but there was reportedly an overlap between them in the White House complex. They also planned separate trips to Africa, and their relationship was allegedly so tense that then-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly had to intervene.
Katie Rogers claimed in her book "American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden" that Melania's infamous jacket was her thoughts for her stepdaughter. The Trump administration officials told Rogers that the ex-FLOTUS wore the "I really don't care, do you" jacket to send a message directed at "the Trumps -- specifically, the president's eldest daughter, Ivanka."
However, in an interview with ABC, Melania said that the message was for the press.
"I want to show them that I don't care. You could criticize whatever you want to say, but it will not stop me to do what I feel is right," Melania explained.
"It's obvious I didn't wear the jacket for the children," she added. "I wore the jacket to go on the plane and off the plane. After the visit, I put it back on because I see how [the] media got obsessed about it."
