Once known for spotlighting Ivanka Trump and her children’s cutest Instagram moments, People has shifted its political coverage this week to a juicier variety: Trump family gossip, or as blasted on the magazine’s new cover, “The Trump Family: Secrets & Lies.” First, there was a story claiming that Donald Trump Jr., who became the subject of new scrutiny with the revelation that he’d met with a Russian lawyer last year, is “miserable” and wants “these four years to be over.” (To which Twitter replied with a resounding, “same.”) Today, there’s a new bombshell about the dramatic inner workings of the Trump clan: According to People, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump “chafe at the shift in attention to brother-in-law Jared Kushner,” who serves as a senior advisor to the president.
“All the attention to Jared is a bit of a sore point and they feel left out of the fun in D.C.,” a source says. “They miss being at the center of the action.” (Now we know: What’s happening in Washington is the Trump sons’ idea of “fun.”) Unfortunately, this acute case of FOMO is a necessary and legal one—Don Jr. and Eric have been tasked with running the Trump Organization while their father occupies the White House in at least the appearance of maintaining some semblance of separation between the presidency and the profits of the family business. (Not that it’s kept Don Jr. out of the headlines, considering his recent Russian imbroglio.)
People’s account is only the latest in the ongoing saga of the adult Trump children (some of whom are parents themselves), who are reportedly battling for their father’s affections—a fool’s errand, most would agree, as Ivanka clearly tops the definitive adult Trump children power rankings, followed by Don Jr. (who is ever willing to take meetings with supposed foreign adversaries in his father’s steed or appear on Sean Hannity’s show at a moment’s notice), Eric (who keeps a somewhat lower profile, though is still a voracious tweeter), and, of course, Tiffany, who can barely crack the tabloids but may have outsmarted the whole beast by having a great summer touring Europe with her boyfriend (and a very expensive security detail, but that’s another matter).
It’s like we’re living a 2017 reboot of Dynasty—even People’s introduction to the new cover story sounds like an ad for an ’80s evening soap: “Donald Trump taught his children to fight dirty and win, no matter the cost,” it reads, promising a look at “how the ruthless family culture has shaped Don Jr., his siblings, and the presidency.” (Yes, Donald Trump’s never-ending quest for power and loyalty goes beyond just Jeff Sessions and James Comey and extends to his own offspring.) If only the Trumps were just another reality TV family—a formidable rival to the Kardashians, should they ever want to compete!—and not the First Family, it almost sounds entertaining.
