Defying social-distancing guidelines to fight the coronavirus pandemic issued by her own father’s administration, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner traveled with their children to New Jersey earlier this month to celebrate Passover.
The news was first reported by the New York Times, who said that Ivanka Trump, who has been given a leading role in reopening the American economy by the US president, traveled with her spouse and their three children to the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, in New Jersey.
Kushner is also a leading figure in the Trump White House and has a prominent role in the administration’s efforts to combat the pandemic.
New Jersey is one of the states worst affected by the virus, with more than 71,000 cases of infection and 3,156 deaths: second only to New York in the size of its outbreak.
The White House confirmed in a statement that Trump had traveled to New Jersey, defending her actions by saying she was practicing social distancing and staying at a “a closed down facility considered to be a family home”.
A White House official confirms to @cnn's @betsy_klein that, despite federal guidelines, @IvankaTrump and Jared Kushner and their children, left DC for their country home at Trump's private Bedminster, NJ, club, as first reported by the @nytimes. “Ivanka, with her immediate (1/4)
— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) April 16, 2020
The news triggered a flood of criticism, not least because Ivanka Trump has issued numerous statements urging her fellow citizens to stay at home and abide by government protocols, which suggest that travel be reserved only for necessary journeys, such as trips to buy food or collect medicine.
Trump even posted a video to Twitter late last month asking everyone who can practice social distancing to “please do your part” to limit the spread of coronavirus.
In these toughest of times, America shows her spirit and strength. This will end and we will emerge stronger than ever before.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 30, 2020
In the meantime, social distancing saves lives! Please do your part. We are all in this together. 💛
[Part 1] pic.twitter.com/iYzMunLJyO
In his morning briefing, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, said on Thursday that he was sending extra ventilators to New Jersey to help them with their patients.
Ivanka Trump and her family moved to Washington from New York City after Donald Trump became president.
The Washington DC area has also been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.
