Ivanka Trump officially breaks weeks-long silence on her father’s conviction

Ivanka Trump, in her first interview about her father’s felony conviction, said the ordeal was “painful.”

Aside from a brief message of support for former President Donald Trump in an Instagram story after the unanimous 34-count guilty verdict was announced in late May, Ivanka had remained publicly silent on the case.

But on The Lex Fridman Podcast On Tuesday, she offered some additional thoughts.

The former White House adviser began by explaining why she is not currently as involved in politics as some other members of her family.

“It’s a pretty dark world. There’s a lot of darkness, a lot of negativity, and it’s really at odds with what I feel is good as a human being. And, you know, it’s a very difficult profession. So for me and my family, it seems right not to participate in it,” she said.

Fridman replied“I think part of that darkness comes from just watching all the legal upheaval that’s going on. What’s it like for you to see your father involved in all of this, to go through all of this?

Trump reiterated his support.

““On a human level, he’s my father and I love him very much, so it’s painful to live through,” she said. “But in the end, I would have preferred it not to happen like this.”

Ivanka Trump’s remarks come the same day her father’s sentencing was postponed. The court had originally set his trial date for next Thursday, but postponed the hearing until September 18 after the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.