(AFP) – President-elect Donald Trump will return to the White House in January joined by his family, who played an outsized role in his first administration and on the campaign trail this year. A closer look reveals the personalities of the nation’s incoming “first family” — consisting of five children and 10 grandchildren from Trump’s three marriages.
– **Donald Trump Jr**
The eldest of the Trump children is dogmatic to the core, having promoted Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda to his 12 million followers on X and through his “Triggered” podcast. The 46-year-old, who sports a carefully groomed beard, was influential in securing his friend J.D. Vance’s ascension from a relatively little-known conservative Ohio senator to Trump’s running mate. He has five children with his ex-wife Vanessa Trump, including their 17-year-old daughter Kai, who has described the Republican leader — labeled a fascist by his former chief of staff — as “just a normal grandpa.” Don Jr is now married to former Fox News presenter Kimberly Guilfoyle, who helped campaign for Trump through TV interviews.
– **Eric Trump**
Eric, 40, is similarly loyal and backed up his father’s election bid through routine media appearances and speeches at rallies. Along with Donald Jr, he is an executive for The Trump Organization — the real estate empire that propelled the 78-year-old Trump into American public consciousness. Eric has two children with his wife Lara Trump, who in March was appointed co-chair of the Republican National Committee, allowing her to shape the party in Trump’s image by reportedly firing dozens of longtime staff.
– **Ivanka Trump**
Trump’s daughter Ivanka, 43, held the vague role of “advisor to the president” during his first administration, prompting concerns of nepotism as she attended global summits such as the G20 summit. But she was largely withdrawn during the 2024 campaign, having earlier announced her plans to prioritize family life with husband Jared Kushner and their three children. Kushner was also a presidential advisor, and eyebrows were raised when Trump put him in charge of brokering peace in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, despite having no significant experience in the Middle East.
– **Melania Trump**
Melania will regain the symbolic title of “First Lady” — a role she used during Trump’s 2017-2021 presidency to campaign for children’s health care and online safety. She has kept a relatively low profile since then, but the 54-year-old did break cover to publish a self-titled memoir weeks before Tuesday’s election. The book shared her pro-choice stance on abortion — a view that seemingly clashed with Trump’s boasting of his role in appointing Supreme Court justices who scrapped the federal right to abortion under Roe v Wade. Melania has one child with Trump, 18-year-old Barron, who is studying at New York University.
– **Tiffany Trump**
Trump’s fourth child and the only with his second wife Marla Maples, an American actress, kept a low profile during her father’s presidency and election campaign. Tiffany, 31, was among a stream of supporters who descended on a New York court this year during Trump’s hush money trial, which saw him become a convicted felon. She is married to Michael Boulos, the son of a Lebanese-born billionaire, and the couple are expecting a child.
– **Ben Turner**
© 2024 AFP
