Many people were surprised by Ivanka Trump’s performance in Berlin. Contrary to the stereotype, the daughter of the US President made a sophisticated and level-headed impression at the panel discussion with Chancellor Angela Merkel, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde. The glamorous White House ambassador also cleverly handled a controversial issue.
US media, however, are focusing on something else: they claim that Ivanka was booed and sneered at.
At the “Women20 Summit”, there was in fact a moment during the panel discussion when the audience began murmuring. Panel moderator Miriam Meckel asked Ivanka whether she was speaking as the First Lady – in Melania Trump’s place – or as the new advisor to the President. Ivanka replied in a disarmingly honest way: „This role is quite new to me, it has been little under 100 days.” She said that she would be happy to bring what she learned here home with her and that she would discuss it with her father.
She also said: “I am very proud of my father. Long before he came into the presidency, he has been a tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive.”
At this point, there was some unrest in the audience. There was no booing or heckling at all, however.
US media are outraged about the audience’s reaction
This makes it even more surprising that US media are painting an entirely different picture of Ivanka’s appearance in Berlin. The murmuring that could be heard as Ivanka defended her father against criticism was interpreted as massive booing of the President’s daughter.
The alleged hostility toward Ivanka during her visit to Berlin was a lead headline at US outlets such as ABC, CNN, and Fox, along with several major newspapers.
In a discussion broadcast by the Trump-friendly TV station Fox on Tuesday night (local time), the audience of the Berlin event was heavily criticized. A report on the Fox website featured the headline: “Germans jeer Ivanka Trump for defending her father”.
The fact is: Miriam Meckel pointed out that some of Trump’s past utterances with respect to women do raise doubts about whether he in fact supports the empowerment of women.
In the US, it would be rather unusual to pose such a critical question to the President’s daughter. Ivanka, however, reacted with confidence.
She stated that she did of course follow the media reports about this issue. She also emphasized that her own experience and the fact that “thousands of women” have been working with, and for, Donald Trump for decades when he was in the private sector “are a testament to his belief and solid conviction in the potential of women and their ability to do the job as well as any man”.
She herself grew up in a liberal household, said Trump’s daughter. “There was no barrier to what I could accomplish beyond my own perseverance and my own tenacity. There was no difference between me and my brothers.”
Observers and participants agree that the relaxed mood at the summit in Berlin on Tuesday was somewhat rare.
Even the Chancellor seemed to be more relaxed than usual, as did the head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, who often makes a tough impression. The great women of world politics welcomed the White House envoy with open arms – and the latter clearly seemed to enjoy herself, laughing, joking, and whispering.
During the joint dinner, Merkel and the “First Daughter” also seemed to get along splendidly.
Merkel explicitly thanked the presidential advisor on Tuesday night for her participation in the W20 Summit. “I am very happy that you travelled to Germany. I hope that we were a good audience for you and that you can also travel back with some new ideas,” the Chancellor said during dinner on Tuesday night.
The Chancellor also promised Ivanka Trump that her idea for a new loan programme for women in emerging countries will be part of the German G20 presidency.
The brief wave of criticism during the podium discussion did not taint the further course of the debate and the subsequent talks with Chancellor Merkel in the slightest. On the contrary – Ivanka Trump has proven that she can also confidently handle delicate questions.
