Disavowing Trump?
January 27, 2016 2:31 PM Subscribe
I'm curious and I've looked everywhere and haven't found anything. I was wondering if any of Mr. Trump's family members have distanced themselves from him and his racial and general incendiary remarks?
It seems to me that all his family is in business and the Trump name is fairly provocative. I thought somewhere someone who was related to the family would come out and try distance themselves from him. My money was originally on Ivanka who converted to Judaism and has in-laws who are Holocaust survivors but that's not happening. Is the whole family dependent on him - the real estate business I thought was owned by the family not just Donald. Just puzzled.
It seems to me that all his family is in business and the Trump name is fairly provocative. I thought somewhere someone who was related to the family would come out and try distance themselves from him. My money was originally on Ivanka who converted to Judaism and has in-laws who are Holocaust survivors but that's not happening. Is the whole family dependent on him - the real estate business I thought was owned by the family not just Donald. Just puzzled.
There are some hints that Trump uses financial levers to punish family members he doesn't like. One could imagine that this strengthens any natural tendencies towards being quiet in public.
posted by grobstein at 2:53 PM on January 27, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by grobstein at 2:53 PM on January 27, 2016 [6 favorites]
In general, though, I think you are overestimating people's propensity to publicly repudiate their family members.
Finally, being connected to a famous President is probably a net positive for business, even if some folks might think the famous President is odious.
posted by grobstein at 2:55 PM on January 27, 2016 [4 favorites]
Finally, being connected to a famous President is probably a net positive for business, even if some folks might think the famous President is odious.
posted by grobstein at 2:55 PM on January 27, 2016 [4 favorites]
There are some hints that Trump uses financial levers to punish family members he doesn't like.
I read an article recently that talked about Trump's older brother, who became a pilot, and an alcoholic, and died young. When his survivors (wife and child, who I believe had a chronic illness) contested Trump's father's will (because the father had basically cut the older son out) -- Donald Trump punished them by taking away their health insurance.
posted by suelac at 3:21 PM on January 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
I read an article recently that talked about Trump's older brother, who became a pilot, and an alcoholic, and died young. When his survivors (wife and child, who I believe had a chronic illness) contested Trump's father's will (because the father had basically cut the older son out) -- Donald Trump punished them by taking away their health insurance.
posted by suelac at 3:21 PM on January 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
the trump family racism is generational
posted by nadawi at 3:52 PM on January 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by nadawi at 3:52 PM on January 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
There have been several news profiles of his older sister, Maryann Trump Barry, a senior federal judge, who has stood by him. Can't link from phone but google her name.
posted by mmiddle at 4:07 PM on January 27, 2016
posted by mmiddle at 4:07 PM on January 27, 2016
They are clearly not family, but a movement is afoot to get him out of the WWE Hall of Fame. Because he is too gross even for pro wrestling.
posted by vrakatar at 5:29 PM on January 27, 2016
posted by vrakatar at 5:29 PM on January 27, 2016
This is the article about Freddy Trump (Donald's brother) referenced by suelac. Trump's family members had some harsh words for him (at the time) when he cut off medical benefits for his late brother's very ill grandson.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:56 PM on January 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:56 PM on January 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
More background on that story here.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:59 PM on January 27, 2016
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:59 PM on January 27, 2016
His sister Maryanne is the real mystery. She's conservative, but you don't get to be an AUSA in the 1970s or a federal judge in the early 1980s by being reactionary, angry, or petty, especially as a woman. And you have to be very, very smart. Plus, there are much, much easier things to do if you come from a mega-wealthy family. It's almost impossible to imagine her having anything to do with the Trump we know.
posted by miyabo at 7:13 AM on January 28, 2016
posted by miyabo at 7:13 AM on January 28, 2016
One of his daughters was featured in the documentary "Born Rich". She struck me as the most level-headed, reasonable inheritor of wealth in the documentary, and she seemed to be simply and sincerely proud of her father.
So I doubt you'd find much from her.
posted by clawsoon at 7:54 AM on January 28, 2016
So I doubt you'd find much from her.
posted by clawsoon at 7:54 AM on January 28, 2016
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I was surprised I could find nothing on the record regarding his brother calling him out on his claims. Even if I really liked my brother, if he made public claims diminishing my mother's resilience and brilliance as a young widow taking on her husband's real estate business I would call him out. If my younger brother said he quit school to send me to school and it was a lie, I would call him out.
Unlike the Donald, his family members seem to be a bit more discreet about family matters.
posted by ReluctantViking at 2:45 PM on January 27, 2016 [5 favorites]