Ivanka Trump Speaks on Father Donald Trump's Legal Battles and Sheds Tears for Late Mother Ivana

For the first time, Ivanka Trump got candid about her father and former President Donald Trump's legal woes in an on-camera interview with Lex Fridman. The Republican front-runner has been entangled in a series of court battles. However, Ivanka, who rarely discussed her family controversies, made an exception when she shared her emotional side by remembering her "impossibly glamorous" mother Ivana.

Although, previously, when she served in her father's administration, Ivanka was a frequent face in all political meetings, rallies, and campaigns. However, unlike last time, the 42-year-old is rarely seen during the 2024 campaign supporting her father, who's simultaneously fighting legal issues. During the sit-down, she revealed what prompted her to step away. 

The former First Daughter said, "On a human level, it's my father, and I love him very much, so it's painful to experience, but ultimately, I wish it didn't have to be this way," as per Daily Mail. While she refused to elaborate on her response any further, she turned emotional while discussing her late mother, Ivana, who died in July 2022 at the age of 73. 

When asked whether she feels her mother's absence, Ivanka responded, "So much. It's unbelievable how dislocating the loss of a parent is. And her mother lives with me still, my grandmother who helped raise us, so that's very special. And I can ask her some of the questions that I would've... Sorry. I wanted to ask my own mom, but it's hard," she added while fighting back her tears. 

The Czech-American businesswoman and socialite married then-real-estate mogul Trump in 1977. The glamorous model met New York's most eligible bachelor and they instantly became The Big Apple's power couple. The late "first" wife of Trump grabbed as much media attention as him in her lifetime and it was she who gave her husband a tabloid-famous moniker "the Donald." 

Ivana had the same ambitious bone as her boisterous husband, as often she bragged that "in fifty years, we will be the Rockefellers." While they both were social butterflies, their personalities were on a different spectrum- Trump was a brash spoilt brat, and the late model was more sophisticated and charming that she'd easily win over people with her elite elegance. She also played a critical part in building the ex-president's real-estate empire. 

Doting daughter Ivanka sang praises of her beloved mother in the Fridman podcast. Describing her as a "remarkable, remarkable woman," "She was a trailblazer in so many different ways, as an athlete and growing up in communist Czechoslovakia, as a fashion mogul, as a real estate executive and builder." 

Unlike her father, Ivanka talked more openly about her late mother and how she inspired her on many levels, "Just this all-around trailblazing businesswoman. I also learned from her, aside from that element, how to really enjoy life. I look back and some of my happiest memories of her are in the ocean, just lying on our back, looking up at the sun and just so in the moment or dancing." 

Meanwhile, back in 2022, Ivanka made it clear to Fox News Digital why she won't be actively participating in her father's 2024 campaign, "I love my father very much. This time around, I'm choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family. While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena."