US President Donald Trump sparked criticism over the weekend, after briefly putting his daughter Ivanka in his place next to world leaders at the Group of 20 summit.
The photo was tweeted on Saturday by a Russian delegate, showing Ivanka Trump sitting in Donald Trump’s seat at the summit in Hamburg, Germany. Many spectators felt the move was unnecessary, giving Ivanka a higher status at the prestigious conference than was appropriate.
Ivanka Trump accompanied her father to a session at the Hamburg summit and later sat in his seat next to German chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May. However, according to reports, she did not take part in discussion.
A White House official later told US television network CNN: “Ivanka was sitting in the back and then briefly joined the main table when the President had to step out.”
As is normal for Trump, he hit back at critics through the medium of Twitter. On Monday, he tweeted:
When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017
If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother,as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017
Chelsea Clinton then tweeted a reply:
Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not. https://t.co/4ODjWZUp0c
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) July 10, 2017