Ivanka Trump Spilled The Real Reason She Ditched Politics & It's Not Surprising

Ivanka Trump has caught quite a bit of heat the past few months as she has been missing in action at her famous father's high-profile criminal trial and his second quest for the presidency on the 2024 campaign trail. On July 2, however, Ivanka put a pin in all of the chatter surrounding her notable absence once and for all, finally spilling the real reason she ditched politics. TBH, it's not very surprising.

"It was a decision rooted in me being a parent, really thinking about what they need from me now. Politics is a rough, rough business, and I think it's one that you also can't dabble in. I think you have to either be all in or all out," the businesswoman and mother of three told Lex Fridman, host of the "Lex Fridman Podcast." She added, "I know today the cost they would pay for me being all in emotionally in terms of my absence at such a formative point in their life, and I'm not willing to make them bear that cost." Case in point: all the celebs who are no longer friends with Ivanka following her father's presidency and her time in the White House.

As you may recall, Ivanka Trump's most recent admission for bowing out of the dog-eat-dog world of politics isn't much different from what she has said before when pressed about her decision. Ivanka first made her stance on her father's future crystal clear on November 15, 2023, when she explained in no uncertain terms that she would not participate in her father's bid for another presidency. "I love my father very much. This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family," she exclusively told Fox News Digital. She added, "I am loving this time with my kids, loving life in Miami and the freedom and privacy with having returned to the private sector. This has been one of the greatest times of my life," she declared. 

As evidenced by her Instagram account, Ivanka's life since leaving the White House has been chock-full of quality time with her kids and her husband, Jared Kushner, being out in nature, traveling, surfing, and even learning to fly a helicopter. Still, it appears there are many unchecked items on Ivanka's bucket list — including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. "The only thing keeping me from doing it in the short term is I feel like it'd be such a great experience to do with my kids, and I'd love to have that experience with them," she told podcast host Lex Fridman in July. 

While many Donald J. Trump supporters have criticized Ivanka Trump for taking a step back in politics, there are just as many who applaud her for choosing to step back and focus on herself, her children, and ultimately what brings her happiness. "I think she's the smart one in all this," co-founder of Republican Women for Progress Meghan Milloy told The Times (via Yahoo). "She's seen what happened to her dad and her brothers. She probably has the best head on her shoulders. She has a family; she doesn't want to get caught up in all this." 

It appears that taking a step back from politics has also afforded Ivanka a new lease on life, or at the very least, a new appreciation and zest for life. "I feel a lot of hope when I'm in nature. I feel a lot of hope when I am experiencing people who are good, and honest, and pure, and true, and passionate, and that's not an uncommon experience. So those experiences give me hope," she declared during her appearance on the "Lex Fridman Podcast." Here's to hoping!