The first daughter's brand is receiving Chinese trademarks for baby blankets and carpets — just as the president threatens trade war
Ivanka Trump this month received trademark approval from China for a broad array of items, including baby blankets, wallpaper and carpets. That wouldn’t be unusual for a global business built on consumer goods such as elegant women’s clothing and shoes, but it raises numerous ethical issues given that her father is the U. S. president.
The timing appears especially fraught given President Donald Trump agreed to rescue Chinese telecom giant ZTE Corp. shortly after Ivanka Trump’s brand was awarded the trademarks.
Ethics watchdogs say the approvals are problematic on a number of levels, including Ivanka Trump’s role representing the U. S. at diplomatic events even though her brand’s business could be impacted — for good or bad — by relations with foreign nations. Then there’s also the conflicts that arise from her father’s role as president amid rising trade tensions between the U. S. and China .
“Although Ivanka has stepped down from her role at her business and has placed it in a trust, she continues to receive profits from the business,” the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington wrote in a blog post about the trademarks .
It added, “Last year, Ivanka’s business won preliminary approval for three trademarks on the same day that she dined with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago.
