Ivanka Trump: Politics, Family, Real Estate, Fashion, Music, and Life | Lex Fridman Podcast #436

Introduction (0s)

• Lex Fridman introduces Ivanka Trump as a businesswoman, real estate developer, and former senior advisor to the President of the United States.
• He describes her as a kind, compassionate, and thoughtful human being who has been unfairly attacked in the past.
• Despite the attacks, she has always responded with kindness and grace.
• Lex expresses his admiration for Ivanka and is honored to call her a friend.
• Ivanka Trump was born on October 30, 1981, in New York City.
• Her parents are Donald Trump and Ivana Trump.
• She has two brothers, Donald Jr. and Eric, and a sister, Tiffany.
• Ivanka attended the Chapin School in New York City and graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in economics.
• After graduating from college, Ivanka worked for her father's company, The Trump Organization.
• She held various positions, including Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions.
• In 2007, she launched her own fashion line, Ivanka Trump Collection.
• She has also written two books: "The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life" (2009) and "Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success" (2017).
• In 2017, Ivanka Trump was appointed as a senior advisor to her father, President Donald Trump.
• She focused on issues such as workforce development, entrepreneurship, and women's empowerment.
• She also represented the United States at various international events, including the G20 summit.
• After leaving the White House in 2021, Ivanka Trump has focused on her family and her business ventures.
• She has also been involved in philanthropic work, such as supporting the Ivanka M. Trump Charitable Fund, which provides grants to organizations that empower women and girls.
• Ivanka Trump is married to Jared Kushner, a businessman and former senior advisor to President Donald Trump.
• They have three children: Arabella, Joseph, and Theodore.
• Ivanka is also an avid reader and enjoys spending time with her family.

Architecture (1m57s)

• Ivanka Trump, influenced by her family's involvement in real estate, developed a passion for designing and building city skylines, particularly in New York City.
• She views real estate as a multidisciplinary field that encompasses design, engineering, construction, time management, and project planning.
• Trump believes in the potential of youthful confidence and ambition, even if naive, to achieve remarkable accomplishments.
• She emphasizes the significance of maintaining a sense of wonder and possibility as drivers of innovation and groundbreaking projects.
• Acknowledging the challenges and complexities of large-scale projects, Trump stresses the importance of humility and hard work.
• She sees city skylines as visual representations of realized ambition, reflecting the dreams and visions of individuals and teams.
• Trump appreciates civil engineering and iconic bridges in New York City, highlighting the unique tapestry of architectural styles in its skyline, including Gothic, Art Deco, and modernist examples.
• She admires the Tribune Tower in Chicago for its Gothic architecture and its harmonious coexistence with modern skyscrapers like Trump Chicago.
• Trump emphasizes the importance of considering the reflective properties of glass in architecture, citing the beautiful glass design of Trump Chicago by Adrian Smith of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
• She stresses the need for architects to have a vivid imagination and consider all variables to accurately envision the final outcome of a building's design.
• Trump cautions against relying solely on renderings and advocates examining actual materials and considering the context of the surrounding environment.
• She believes that architects should be rooted in reality and consider practical aspects such as materials used and the impact on neighboring structures.
• Trump asserts that both dreaming the design into existence and being grounded in reality are essential for successful architecture.

Modern architecture (14m12s)

• Modern architecture showcases both remarkable and uninspiring designs, with innovative techniques like robotic fabrication and 3D printing revolutionizing the field.
• Ivanka Trump emphasizes the importance of function over form in architecture, believing that ill-conceived spaces should be avoided.
• Architecture encompasses various aspects such as construction, design, interior design, financing, and marketing, making it an exciting field to work in.
• Ivanka Trump discusses various topics with Lex Fridman on the Lex Fridman Podcast, including her admiration for the beauty of the Devil's Bridge in Germany and her love for bridges like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge, which represent the combination of function and beauty.

Philosophy of design (21m45s)

• Ivanka Trump emphasizes the challenges and opportunities of renovation projects, highlighting her experience renovating the Old Post Office building in Washington, D.C.
• She stresses the importance of meticulous planning, attention to detail, and preserving a building's beauty while modernizing its functionality.
• Trump criticizes the focus on financial engineering over the finer details that make a building great and functional.
• She expresses her passion for renovation projects and the satisfaction of seeing the end result of her hard work.
• Ivanka emphasizes understanding the function and art of creating something, rather than just flipping it for profit.
• She highlights the significance of physically experiencing and inspecting a space, as there can be discrepancies between plans and the actual structure.
• Trump stresses the need for constant presence on construction sites and close attention to details, similar to the approach of Steve Jobs and Elon Musk.
• She believes that true passion for the art of creation, rather than solely focusing on financial gain, leads to exceptional results.

Lessons from mother (30m1s)

• Ivanka Trump's mother, Ivana, was an influential figure who shaped her daughter's perspective on life.
• Ivana, an Olympic skier, businesswoman, and real estate executive, taught Ivanka to embrace life, have courage, and develop convictions.
• Ivanka believes her mother's experiences during the Prague Spring and the Soviet invasion influenced her views on freedom and agency.
• Ivana grew up in communist Czechoslovakia, witnessing the crushing of reforms and later immigrating to North America.
• Ivanka's grandmother survived the Holodomor and Nazi occupation, maintaining a positive outlook despite hardships.
• Ivana's flamboyant style may have been a reaction to her austere childhood.
• Ivanka emphasizes the importance of appreciating life's simple joys and being grateful for basic necessities.
• She admires her mother's ability to embody femininity and glamour while succeeding in a male-dominated industry.
• Ivanka reflects on her mother's influence on her fashion sense and the impact of her loss.
• She shares a special bond with her grandmother, who instilled a love of reading and passed down family traditions.
• Ivana, an athlete and homemaker, encouraged Ivanka's love of reading.

Lessons from father (53m7s)

• Ivanka Trump inherited her love of music from her parents and her father's sense of humor.
• Ivanka learned the importance of asking questions and seeking input from the right people, even if it challenges traditional methods or organizational hierarchies, from her father.
• Flat organizational structures facilitate rapid problem-solving and continuous improvement, while bureaucracy in large organizations can hinder efficiency and innovation.
• Uncomfortable conversations and challenging the hierarchy are necessary for substantial progress, and first principles thinking is vital in bureaucratic contexts to drive innovation.

Fashion (1h1m39s)

• Ivanka Trump began her career in the fashion industry after receiving a job offer from Anna Wintour at Vogue, despite initially intending to pursue real estate.
• She identified a gap in the market for products targeting self-purchasing women and launched her successful fashion brand, Ivanka Trump Jewelry, which expanded to include various product categories.
• Ivanka created the website "Women Who Work" to provide aspirational content for working women, facing resistance from a marketing agency that suggested changing the name to "Women Who Do."
• Her fashion brand grew to generate substantial sales and resonated with consumers who appreciated its focus on empowering women through versatile and stylish clothing.
• Ivanka emphasizes the importance of collaboration, personal taste, and confidence in the creative process when designing fashion collections.

Hotel design (1h12m35s)

• Ivanka Trump and her husband are collaborating on a sustainable design project to build a hotel, villas, and restaurants on a 1400-acre island in the Mediterranean, working with talented architects and artists to create a harmonious integration with the natural landscape.
• The project involves complex architectural considerations such as view corridors, green roofs, and building into a mountainside while preserving the island's beauty, taking into account factors like sunrise and sunset angles, wind direction, and vegetation.
• Ivanka emphasizes the importance of thoughtful interior design, focusing on fabrics, colors, and finishes to enhance the overall experience of a room, ensuring that every element contributes to the desired atmosphere.
• She draws inspiration from the ability of robots and cartoonists to effectively convey emotions, particularly joy and excitement, and compares it to the joy of reunions between people and the excitement dogs show when their owners return.

Self-doubt (1h23m44s)

• Ivanka Trump wakes up every day wanting to be better in all aspects of her life.
• She grew up with successful parents and saw friends who were afraid to try due to fear of not measuring up.
• She learned to harness the fear of not being good enough to push herself outside of her comfort zone.
• She believes that humility is important and that one should always strive to be better.
• As she has gotten older, she has become more comfortable with her abilities.
• She believes that it is important to challenge oneself.

Intuition (1h26m7s)

• Ivanka Trump believes in trusting one's instincts and intuition.
• She thinks that well-honed intuition comes from accumulated knowledge and experience.
• She often starts with her intuition and then puts it through a rigorous test to verify its accuracy.
• She rarely goes against her initial instinct.
• She acknowledges that impulsive decisions can lead to great breakthroughs but also recognizes the value of wisdom and deliberation.
• As she has gotten older, she has become more attuned to her instincts and feels that they are more well-honed.

The Apprentice (1h29m17s)

• Ivanka Trump was on The Apprentice, a popular business show.
• She learned a lot about teamwork, marketing, and time management from the show.
• Filming for the show was intense, with early morning starts and long days.
• Ivanka found it challenging to watch herself on the episodes and was very self-conscious about her appearance and voice.
• Unlike her father, who was comfortable being himself on camera, Ivanka struggled with self-consciousness during filming.

Michael Jackson (1h33m51s)

• Ivanka Trump met Michael Jackson when she was 9 or 10 years old.
• Michael Jackson was shy in small group settings but transformed on stage.
• Ivanka believes Michael Jackson was born to perform.

Nature (1h35m26s)

• Lex Fridman expresses his admiration for people who have found their passion in life, like Paul Rosley's love for the jungle.
• He appreciates the beauty of animals, especially after his conversation with Rosley, and compares trees to skyscrapers of life.
• Fridman describes the experience of climbing giant trees and feeling a visceral connection with nature.
• He emphasizes the humbling feeling of being disconnected from human civilization and immersed in the sounds of the jungle.
• Fridman finds it fascinating that some bird species are monogamous and wonders if their constant screaming is a form of communication or bickering.
• He reflects on the feeling of insignificance in the vastness of nature, which he also experiences while surfing in the ocean.
• Fridman concludes that these experiences of being surrounded by nature are humbling and beautiful.

Surfing (1h40m20s)

• Ivanka enjoys surfing because it allows her to feel in harmony with the ocean, rather than fighting against it.
• She describes the physicality and the overall experience of surfing as enjoyable.
• The hardest part of surfing for her is paddling out, especially when stuck in the impact line of incoming waves.
• She emphasizes the importance of staying calm and flowing with the waves rather than resisting them.
• Ivanka discusses her upbringing in a close-knit family, with her father, Donald Trump, being a significant influence in her life.
• She describes her childhood as happy and privileged, with her parents providing her with a strong foundation and values.
• Ivanka highlights the importance of family and the lessons she learned from her parents, particularly her father's work ethic and determination.
• She reflects on the challenges of balancing her personal and professional life, acknowledging the difficulties of being a working mother.
• Ivanka emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and making time for family, while also pursuing her career goals.

Donald Trump (1h42m31s)

• Ivanka Trump describes her experience of being thrust into the political arena when her father, Donald Trump, decided to run for president.
• During her time in the White House, she interacted with people from diverse communities and listened to their concerns and aspirations, which had a profound impact on her.
• Ivanka plans to embark on a road trip across the United States to reconnect with people and experience the country's beauty and diversity firsthand.
• She believes that despite surface-level political divisions, Americans share similar concerns and goals, such as quality education, thriving communities, and personal fulfillment.
• Ivanka's decision to join the White House as an adviser was not premeditated but a response to her father's request and her desire to address the problems she observed during the campaign, particularly those affecting young women.
• She understands the struggles people face and the difficulty in saying no to opportunities to help others, even when it means entering the tumultuous world of politics.

Politics (1h56m53s)

• Ivanka Trump describes the challenges of achieving political goals in Washington, D.C., emphasizing the importance of building coalitions, finding compromise, and taking action rather than just discussing solutions.
• She highlights her successful efforts in doubling the child tax credit, resulting in 40 million American families receiving an average of $22,200 per year.
• Ivanka discusses the difficulties in getting politicians to compromise on policies due to their focus on personal gain rather than serving the people.
• She stresses the value of listening to diverse viewpoints and being an active listener when receiving criticism or suggestions for improvements.
• Ivanka emphasizes the importance of listening, building trust, and humility when architecting policies, as demonstrated by her experience with tax cuts.
• She mentions her work on bipartisan policies such as the Great American Outdoors Act and modernizing Perkins CTE, as well as her efforts to engage the private sector in training workers for future jobs.
• Ivanka highlights her focus on modernizing Career and Technical education, providing millions of students with access to STEM and computer science education, and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing education.
• She discusses her efforts in combating human trafficking domestically and abroad through legislation and collaboration with survivors, acknowledging the emotional toll of witnessing suffering and the challenges of maintaining humanity while working on difficult issues.
• Ivanka stresses the significance of empathy and compassion in politics but acknowledges the emotional strain of staying in the field for too long.

Work-life balance (2h13m5s)

• Ivanka Trump discusses the challenges of balancing work and family, emphasizing the importance of aligning one's life with their priorities.
• During her time in the White House, she felt conflicted about prioritizing anything other than her duties, but her family, especially her husband Jared and their children, provided support and a sense of normalcy.
• Her children were young during her time in Washington, which allowed them to be sheltered from the pressures of public life and have a relatively normal upbringing.
• Ivanka Trump has two dogs, Simba and Winter, and a hamster named Buster.

Parenting (2h19m33s)

• Ivanka Trump discusses the challenges and rewards of parenting, emphasizing empathy and understanding each child's unique needs.
• She stresses the importance of recognizing and nurturing each person's unique characteristics and preferences.
• Ivanka acknowledges the complexity of parenting multiple children with different needs and personalities, while also ensuring fairness and providing individual attention.
• She emphasizes the need to allow children to solve their own problems and conflicts, while also intervening when physical harm is a concern.
• Ivanka shares her philosophy of avoiding negative speech and cheap shots, despite facing intense attacks since 2016.
• She explains that she felt it was not true to her nature to fight back and preferred to focus on solving problems and matters she considered more important.
• Ivanka discusses her approach to politics and personal growth, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing inner peace and avoiding negative speech.
• She highlights the value of personal evolution and growth, drawing inspiration from Alan Watts' quote about not being obligated to remain the same person over time.
• Ivanka reflects on her journey through different career paths, including real estate, fashion, and government, and expresses a sense of greater integration and comfort with her various roles.
• She emphasizes the importance of finding joy in simple pleasures and being fully present in the moment.
• Ivanka acknowledges that while young people may have a clear idea of what they want to do, it's equally important to understand who they are.
• She encourages individuals to embrace ambiguity and flexibility in their goals and aspirations, allowing themselves to be who they truly are.

2024 presidential campaign (2h34m40s)

• Ivanka Trump announced that she will not be involved in politics for the sake of her children.
• She believes that politics is a rough business that requires full commitment, and she is not willing to make her children pay the cost of her absence.
• Ivanka mentioned that there are other ways to serve the community and that she finds helping within her own community equally meaningful.
• She also expressed her discomfort with the darkness and negativity in the political world and stated that it does not align with her well-being.
• Regarding her father's legal troubles, Ivanka expressed pain and wished that things were different.
• She emphasized that despite the turmoil, love for her family is her priority.

Dolly Parton (2h38m17s)

• Ivanka Trump expressed her admiration for Dolly Parton and her authenticity.
• She praised Parton's talent, accomplishments, and ability to remain true to herself without internal conflict.
• Ivanka compared Parton to her mother in terms of their self-assurance and lack of inner conflict.
• She highlighted Parton's ability to lead with love and positivity, which she finds refreshing and inspiring.
• Ivanka expressed her desire to have a long conversation with Parton and discussed various aspects of Parton's career, including her music, songwriting, performances, and iconic status in country music.

Ivanka Trump: Politics, Family, Real Estate, Fashion, Music, and Life (0s)

• Ivanka Trump is the daughter of former US President Donald Trump.
• She is a businesswoman, fashion designer, and author.
• Ivanka Trump served as a senior advisor to her father during his presidency.
• Ivanka Trump is married to Jared Kushner, who also served as a senior advisor to President Trump.
• They have three children together: Arabella, Joseph, and Theodore.
• Ivanka Trump is close to her family and often speaks about the importance of family values.
• Ivanka Trump is involved in the real estate business, along with her father and brothers.
• She has worked on several real estate projects, including the Trump Organization's properties in New York City.
• Ivanka Trump is also the founder of her own real estate company, Ivanka Trump Real Estate.
• Ivanka Trump is a fashion designer and has her own clothing line, Ivanka Trump Collection.
• Her clothing line is sold in stores around the world and has been featured in several magazines.
• Ivanka Trump is also a former model and has appeared in several fashion campaigns.
• Ivanka Trump is a fan of music and enjoys listening to a variety of genres.
• She has been known to attend concerts and music festivals.
• Ivanka Trump also plays the piano and has shared videos of herself playing on social media.
• Ivanka Trump is a busy businesswoman and mother of three.
• She often speaks about the importance of balance in her life and how she manages to juggle her work and family responsibilities.
• Ivanka Trump is also involved in several charitable organizations and is passionate about giving back to the community.

Alice Johnson (2h40m32s)

• Ivanka Trump attended an Adele concert in Las Vegas with her children and Alice Johnson, whose prison sentence was commuted by her father, former President Donald Trump.
• Alice Johnson shared her experience of organizing plays in prison and the emotional impact of receiving applause from the audience.
• Ivanka Trump and Alice Johnson collaborated on 23 pardons or commutations after Johnson's release from prison, including the case of an individual who received a life sentence for selling weed, highlighting the issue of nonviolent drug offenses in the justice system.
• Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, worked together on Criminal Justice Reform through the First Step Act, which provided opportunities for many people.
• In the final days of the Trump administration, Ivanka Trump focused on pardons and commutations, including the case of Corvin, whose mother she informed about his release at 12:30 AM.
• Ivanka Trump emphasizes the positive impact of Alice Johnson's commutation on her family and her advocacy for others.

Stevie Ray Vaughan (2h45m56s)

• Lex Fridman and Ivanka Trump discuss their love for Stevie Ray Vaughan's music.
• Lex mentions that he learned to play the guitar solo from "Texas Flood" and considers it one of the most iconic blues songs.
• Ivanka expresses her desire to learn the song and play it live.
• They also discuss other great live performers such as Chris Stapleton, Lucas Nelson, and Jango Reinhardt.

Aretha Franklin (2h48m41s)

• Ivanka recommends Lex to watch Aretha Franklin's version of "Amazing Grace" performed at the Missionary Baptist Church in LA.
• They discuss the powerful and soulful nature of Aretha's voice and how it can captivate the audience even without any instruments.
• Lex agrees that Adele carries a similar spirit in her music.

Freddie Mercury (2h49m51s)

• Ivanka and Lex talk about Queen and Freddie Mercury's incredible stage presence and vocal abilities.
• They watch a clip from Queen's performance of "Radio Gaga" where the audience mimics Freddie's arm movements.
• Lex expresses his admiration for Freddie and considers him a natural performer.
• They discuss the anticipation and excitement of attending live music events and the sense of community it creates.

Jiu jitsu (2h50m56s)

• Ivanka Trump and her family train in Jiu-Jitsu at the Valente Brothers Studio, which emphasizes the "753 code" philosophy rooted in Samurai principles.
• The 753 code includes values like benevolence, courage, rectitude, respect, honesty, honor, and loyalty, which the Trump children have memorized and apply in their daily lives.
• Ivanka appreciates how Jiu-Jitsu combines physical skills with mental and emotional development, promoting awareness, balance, and flow in the mind, body, and soul.
• The training focuses on self-defense, body awareness, and situational awareness, providing confidence and calm in potentially dangerous situations.
• Ivanka discusses the benefits of self-defense training for her children, including the philosophical elements and non-resistance techniques they learn through martial arts.

Bucket list (2h58m1s)

• Ivanka Trump has a long bucket list of things she wants to do and experience.
• Some of the things on her list include:
  • Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with her kids.
  • Participating in an archery competition in Mongolia with her daughter.
  • Getting barreled by a wave.
  • Learning how to play the guitar song "Texas Flood".
  • Seeing the Northern Lights.
  • Getting her black belt in jiu-jitsu.
  • Going to space, specifically the moon, and experiencing the blue sunset on Mars.
  • Looking back on Earth from space and appreciating its rarity and preciousness.
• Ivanka believes that space travel is important for humanity and hopes that it will heighten our appreciation for Earth.
• She hopes that curiosity, wonder, and exploration will be the driving forces behind space travel rather than dominance and conquest.
• She emphasizes the need to protect Earth while we explore space.

Hope (3h2m30s)

• Ivanka Trump feels hopeful when she experiences nature and encounters good, honest, pure, true, passionate people.
• She believes that humans are generally good and capable of creating beautiful things.
• She expresses her hope that people will continue to create and build beautiful things in the world.
• Lex Fridman thanks Ivanka Trump for the conversation and encourages listeners to support the podcast's sponsors.
• He concludes the podcast with a quote from Marcus Aurelius about appreciating the beauty of life and seeing oneself running with the stars.