Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former close friend of Melania Trump, has unveiled eye-opening details about an alleged feud between the former First Lady and her stepdaughter, Ivanka Trump, in her memoir “Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady.”
An excerpt of the book, released in 2020 and featured in New York Magazine, describes the lengths Wolkoff and Melania supposedly went to minimize Ivanka’s presence in photographs during Donald Trump’s 2016 inauguration. In the book, Wolkoff recounts the tension and stress of that period, describing “Operation Block Ivanka” as a petty but deliberate effort by Melania. She writes, “Melania was in on this mission.
But in our minds, Ivanka shouldn’t have made herself the center of attention at her father’s inauguration.” CNN reports that, according to Wolkoff, Melania often referred to Ivanka as ‘Princess’ and was adamant about keeping her stepdaughter out of the spotlight, particularly in the East Wing of the White House.
Wolkoff goes on to say, “It was Donald’s inauguration, not Ivanka’s. But no one was brave enough to tell her that.” She details how Melania was displeased with Ivanka’s attempts to influence the inauguration’s schedule and her insistence on participating prominently in the parade. The memoir even claims that Melania and Wolkoff rearranged their standing positions during the ceremony to avoid Ivanka standing next to her stepmother.
The book also delves into the alleged power struggle between Ivanka and Melania during the presidential transition. Wolkoff accuses Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, of trying to gain control over the East Wing and subvert Melania’s authority. Wolkoff’s narrative portrays Ivanka as aspiring to be the predominant female Trump figure in the White House.
Further, Wolkoff alleges that Ivanka used a private email server for official White House business, drawing a parallel to the criticisms leveled against Hillary Clinton by the Trump campaign during the general election. Wolkoff expresses skepticism about whether Ivanka would face a similar public outcry, highlighting what she sees as hypocrisy in the Trump family’s approach to rules and ethics.
However, these claims have been strongly refuted by White House sources and representatives. A source familiar with the situation dismissed the idea of Ivanka trying to take over the East Wing as untrue. An official from Trump’s team emphasized to People that Ivanka was focused on policy in the West Wing rather than social events. Additionally, Stephanie Grisham, the former First Lady’s spokeswoman, told Vanity Fair in 2017 that Ivanka and Melania Trump have always maintained a close relationship.
Wolkoff’s involvement with the Trumps began when she was hired to assist with the 58th Presidential Inauguration and later as an advisor to the First Lady. The book details her role in hiring staff, planning events, assisting with speechwriting, and developing Melania’s initial initiatives. However, Wolkoff’s relationship with the Trumps deteriorated when she was blamed for issues related to inaugural funding, leading to a falling out that is central to her memoir.
