Donald Trump’s niece Mary Trump calls his relationship with Ivanka Trump ‘odd and off-putting’, claims he had a ‘weird fixation’ on daughter: 'He had no real interest in his children'

Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, has made fresh claims about the US president’s relationship with his children, describing his bond with eldest daughter Ivanka Trump as “odd and off-putting”. In a recent podcast appearance, Mary alleged that her uncle showed little emotional interest in his children but appeared to have an unusual attachment to Ivanka as she grew older.Mary, a clinical psychologist who has frequently spoken publicly about her family, discussed Donald Trump’s parenting style during an appearance on the British podcast The Rest Is Politics, hosted by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart. She also linked what she described as his emotional distance to the way he was raised by his father, Fred Trump Sr.Mary Trump calls Donald Trump’s relationship with Ivanka ‘odd and off-putting’Speaking on the podcast, Mary described her uncle as a largely uninvolved father and alleged that his relationship with Ivanka changed as she grew older.“He was an entirely hands-off father. He had no real interest in his children,” she said.Mary then spoke about what she viewed as an unusual dynamic between Donald Trump and Ivanka.“When Ivanka got older, he had this very odd attachment to her,” she said, adding that she struggled to explain the nature of their relationship.“She was constantly sitting on his lap. And I don't know. I can't really explain it, but I found it odd and off-putting,” Mary said.Her remarks were presented as her personal observations and interpretation of the family dynamic. She did not provide further details to explain what she meant by the alleged attachment.Mary Trump claims her uncle lacked an emotional connection with his childrenMary also alleged that Donald Trump did not share a strong emotional bond with his other children, particularly his older sons.“But he didn't have any real emotional connection. Certainly not to the two older boys because I barely knew Tiffany and I never met Barron,” she said.Mary explained that she had limited interactions with her younger cousins while growing up, partly because of the age difference between them. Donald Trump Jr. is 12 years younger than Mary, while Ivanka is 16 years younger.Donald Trump has five children from three marriages. He shares Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump with his first wife, Ivana Trump. His daughter Tiffany Trump is from his marriage to Marla Maples, while Barron Trump is his son with his current wife, Melania Trump.Mary Trump links Donald Trump’s parenting style to his fatherDuring the podcast conversation, Mary also discussed the influence of her grandfather, Fred Trump Sr., on her uncle’s approach to family and emotions.She alleged that Fred Trump Sr. treated her father, Fred Trump Jr., harshly and that Donald learned to distance himself from qualities associated with his older brother, whom the family called Freddy.“My grandfather and Donald play a big role in that,” Mary said.She claimed that Donald Trump’s takeaway from his childhood was to avoid displaying kindness, empathy or sensitivity.“The lesson he learned was do not be anything like Freddy,” she said. “Do not be kind. Do not be empathetic. Do not be sensitive.”Fred Trump Jr. died at the age of 42. Mary has previously spoken about the impact of the family environment on her father and her uncle’s development.She also suggested that Donald Trump’s emphasis on wealth among his sons was connected to his own public image, saying their financial success reflected positively on him.Mary Trump, a clinical psychologist and author who has repeatedly criticised her uncle, has often discussed the Trump family’s upbringing and relationships in public interviews and writing.Her latest comments offer her personal account of Donald Trump’s parenting and his relationship with Ivanka. The claims, however, remain her own characterisation of the family dynamic and should not be treated as independently established facts.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.