Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are threatening to sue The Lincoln Project after the anti-Trump organization placed two huge ads of the couple in Times Square. Both of the materials are paid for by the organization, as noted in the billboard pieces.
One of the ads features an edited photo of the First Daughter, alongside the COVID-19 death toll in New York and the United States in its entirety. The other ad shows a portrait of Ivanka's husband, next to tons of body bags, with a quote, New Yorkers "are going to suffer, and that's their problem."
It’s a good morning in Times Square for Ivanka and Jared. pic.twitter.com/gbtiHq9NtK — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) October 22, 2020
The ads of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump first came to public knowledge when The Lincoln Project announced it over on Twitter on Thursday. The post states that it is a "good morning in Times Square" for the couple, alongside four photos of the ads.
The following day, the organization sent another tweet informing their audience that they received a letter from the Trump family's lawyer, Marc Kasowitz. The New York Post reported that the letter "threatens to sue" them unless they remove the ads from the billboards.
Aside from their terms, the letter, also, deemed the materials as "defamatory" and "false." The lawyer, then, noted in the letter that both Ivanka and Jared never said those things printed on the ads, adding that the move is "outrageous" and a "shameful libel."
Jared and Ivanka have always been entitled, out-of-touch bullies who have never given the slightest indication they have any regard for the American people. We plan on showing them the same level of respect. Our full statement: pic.twitter.com/M3K5nOE5qd — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) October 24, 2020
While The Lincoln Project took their time to come up with a response to the threat, the organization said that the ads will stay up in Times Square. On the same platform, they released an official statement on Saturday morning, noting that they intend to make this "civics lesson as painful as possible."
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump have yet to respond to the group's official statement. The Daily Mail reported, however, that no proof has come to light regarding Kushner's "quote" on the billboard.
Nevertheless, an anonymous source told Vanity Fair in September that the U.S. President's son-in-law did say these statements behind closed doors. But, reports emphasized that the ads took the quote out of context.
Amid the debacle, many netizens seemingly showed their support toward The Lincoln Project. On social media, they expressed their joy for the organization's latest move, noting that they are all proud of what they did. One Twitter user even encouraged others to retweet and repost the photos of the ads, adding that they should tag the couple's social media accounts.
