Ashley Biden vs Ivanka Trump: First daughter won't risk nepotism unlike her fashionista predecessor
With the change of administrations in the White House in 2021 entered a new first family -- the family of President Joe Biden and with it, a new first daughter, Ashley Biden, who is the only child of the first couple (other than Hunter Biden, who is the POTUS' son from his first marriage). While everything about the former first daughter, Ivanka Trump, was flawless and glamorous and out there on social media for everyone to see, Ashley is a comparatively private person who has no intention of getting involved in her father's presidency.
In fact, the only thing that Ivanka and Ashley have in common, apart from their status as first daughters, is the fact that they both are aged 39 at the moment. Given the lack of courtesy shown by former President Donald Trump and his family in welcoming the incoming first family following the 2020 election loss, it is no surprise that Ashley and Ivanka are not friends. In fact, during a pre-inaugural interview with former first daughter Jenna Bush Hager, Ashley and her nieces, Natalie, Maisy, Finnegan, and Naomi Biden, said they would rather take a page out of the former President Barack Obama's daughters, Sasha and Malia, when it comes to how to behave when you are related to the president and your lives are being scrutinized every day rather than following in the footsteps of Ivanka or her siblings, Donald Jr., Eric, or Tiffany Trump.
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“[We’ve] had the privilege of being able to see two of our friends navigate eight years of what was really difficult and they did so so beautifully, and they came out so grounded and humble, and they’re so smart and driven,” 21-year-old Finnegan said. “So I think we can only take advice from them. They’ve been so nice and offering advice to us and support."
Here are a few ways that Ashley differs from Ivanka:
No role in Biden's administration
Unlike Ivanka, who was heavily criticized for lacking expertise or background in government or foreign policy when Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, were made Trump's senior advisers and handed the responsibilities of making some heavy-duty decisions on a range of policies, Ashley has made it utterly clear that she has no wish to work for her father's administration.
However, Ashley told Bush in the same interview for the 'Today' show that she hoped to use her increased profile for social good. “I will, however, hopefully use this platform to advocate for social justice, for mental health, to be involved in community development and revitalization,” Ashley, who is a social worker said. “I do hope to bring awareness and education to some topics, subjects that are really important.”
Apart from the debate on whether Ivanka and Jared were fit for taking on the highly classified governmental roles, there were also talks about federal nepotism rules being violated. Watchdog groups accused the couple of repeated conflicts of interest. There were also concerns that their personal and family businesses profited from their contacts with world leaders. Their work on policy issues such as the “Opportunity Zones” program was criticized as it gave tax breaks for investors in certain neighborhoods across the nation.
Ashley and her husband, Howard Krein, who is an assistant professor of otolaryngology in head and neck surgery at Philadelphia’s Thomas Jefferson University, have no intention of ditching their respective careers to work at the White House.
During a People magazine interview earlier this month, Biden doubled down on his promise made during his election campaign that none of his family members will be involved in his administration. “We’re going to run this like the Obama-Biden administration,” he said. “No one in our family and extended family is going to be involved in any government undertaking or foreign policy. And nobody has an office in this place.”
Education and career paths
The incoming first daughter graduated from New Orleans’ Tulane University with a major in cultural anthropology. She went on to obtain a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania. She chose to dedicate her life to giving a platform to those who needed a voice. Ivanka, on the other hand, went to Washington’s prestigious Georgetown University where she was a student in the MSB program for two years. She then transferred to Penn’s Wharton School of Business. She went on to use her studies to open various businesses and boost her net worth.
Not a social media queen
If you wanted to follow Ashley Biden on Twitter, tough luck, because her profile is not public, unlike Ivanka who was taught to virtually curate her life since she was a kid as she was used to being in the spotlight due to her famous father.
Ivanka has an Instagram following of more than 7.5 million and 10.3 million followers on Twitter, where she regularly posted photos and videos of her administrative work. Ashley, on the other hand, keeps a private Instagram account that can only be accessed by her closest family and friends. During the interview, she noted that the reason she had decided against making her profile public was to maintain the integrity of her parents' work and to shield herself from media scrutiny.
On this last day of a challenging year I am more grateful than ever for the love, family, faith and friends that are core to my life.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) December 31, 2020
Wishing you and your family health, happiness and joy in 2021! #nye #happynewyear #newyearseve pic.twitter.com/oHey214yYs
“I know—you know—the type of man my father is, and the woman my mother is and the man my brother is,” she said. “The cruelty and the meanness, that’s why I don't have a social media account that's public. Part of it is also having boundaries for myself, because I believe in kindness, and I believe in the humanity of all of us.”
Fashion for good
Apart from being an activist and philanthropist, Ashley is also a fashion designer. However, her fashion is very different from Ivanka's as she opts for comfort over style. While Ivanka is known to have become something of a fashion icon with her tailored suits and shiny blond hair, Ashley, prefers a more laid-back approach, keeping her makeup basic and donning loose-fit clothes and flats.
They have also used fashion to start their own brands but for different purposes. Ivanka launched the Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry brand in 2007, soon followed by her namesake clothing label, which was shut down in 2018 over a conflict of interests with her position in the White House. Meanwhile, Ashley’s fashion line was started for charity. The Livelihood Collection was launched at New York Fashion Week. It was an ethical clothing brand that raised funds for the Delaware Community Foundation. Even its logo was a tribute to Beau Biden, Ashley’s half-brother who died of cancer in 2015.