Ivanka Trump stonily endured cheers among delegates at the Munich Security Conference Saturday, February 16, as speaker German Chancellor Angela Merkel slammed her father, United States President Donald Trump regarding the latter's claim that the German BMW brand of cars represented a threat to U.S. national security.
Merkel stated that it was "frightening" to have these cars be seen as a national security threat to the U.S. She went on to point out that Germany's BMW brand of high-end cars is being made in South Carolina, U.S.A., the largest among its plants. She expressed her "shock" at Trumps' instigation that these auto imports represented a threat to the U.S. national security.
She expressed that she was proud of the German brand of cars, BMW, and expressed her criticism of this claim and questioned how the U.S.-made German cars could be a form of threat. It was at this point that her speech drew applause from the majority of the audience. It was noted that the only ones present who stayed in their seats along with Ms. Trump were the Russian foreign minister and a Chinese official.
The Chancellor also went on to say that "proper talks" would help find a solution together.
Merkel's speech was a swipe at a report said to have been prepared by the United States Commerce Department on auto imports. This said report identified these auto imports as a threat to U.S. national security, a claim expected to further the argument for exacting possible future tariffs on such imports on foreign automakers.
As for Ms. Trump, she attended the said global conference of leaders along with a group of representatives and was present when Chancellor Merkel made her speech, however seemingly unfazed she appeared. There have been criticisms of her attendance at such a gathering, pointing out her inexperience as well lack of qualifications for the role she has been given. This has been seen as a decided disadvantage for the United States in terms of preserving its position of authority among foreign leaders.
At this specific gathering, Ivanka Trump was joined by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence as well as the Republican senator, Lindsey Graham, and Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker.
She has frequently represented the United States internationally, now being one of the more lasting White House advisers to President Trump, in addition to Jared Kushner, her husband, after a series of turnovers in the said office since the beginning of the present administration.
