In case you missed the news: Nordstrom dropped Ivanka Trump’s fashion line from its stores earlier this month because of lack of sales. This was also followed by TJ Maxx, Marshals, and Neiman Marcus. Of course, Pres. Donald Trump tweeted his disapproval just like all of his other ires. But no one was prepared when White House adviser Kellyanne Conway suddenly advertised the brand on Fox.
Who knew that the White House also doubled as free ad space?
We’re not sure if Kellyanne intentionally aired a shameless plug for the brand or she was ordered by the White House. Either way, she broke an ethics law by promoting Ivanka’s brand. As cited in 18 U.S. Code § 227, the president and vice-president are prohibited “from using their office to influence or make threats about an employment practice of any private company, especially if it’s solely driven by partisan political feelings.”
Although White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that Kellyanne was counseled after her error, it still begs the question of whether Trump can disconnect himself from his family’s professional interests. If he’s able to keep himself from other conflicts of interest during his term.
While the Trump team is stressing out over this, Nordstrom saw a seven-percent rise in stocks after the president’s angry tweet. Celebs are also mocking Trump with Nordstrom shopping photos. This includes Chelsea Handler, Rosie O’Donnell, Kristin Davis, and more.
It’s been three weeks since Trump took office. If the controversies keep up, we’ll be seeing a lot of them in the next four years. (Hopefully not.)
Photo courtesy of CNN
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