Uses presidential Twitter account to attack Nordstrom for dropping Ivanka's products
Trump used the official @POTUS Twitter account to attack Nordstrom for dropping his daughter Ivanka's clothing and accessories line: "My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!" Nordstrom had cited declining sales as the reason for discontinuing the line. This marked an unprecedented use of presidential power to benefit a family member's business interests. Ethics experts condemned the tweet as a blatant violation of ethics rules prohibiting use of public office for private gain. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer defended Trump from the official podium, saying the president had "every right" to defend his daughter, further blurring the line between Trump's family business and his presidential duties. The incident exemplified the massive conflicts of interest created by Trump's refusal to divest from his businesses.
“My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!” — February 8, 2017 tweet from @POTUS account attacking Nordstrom
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryThis was one of the clearest examples of Trump using presidential power to benefit his family's financial interests, establishing a pattern that would continue throughout his presidency.
The use of the @POTUS account (rather than his personal account) made clear this was an official presidential statement in defense of family business interests.
Spicer's defense from the White House podium turned a personal family business dispute into official government policy, further entangling Trump's private interests with public office.