Ivanka Trump Is Setting Her Sights On D.C. Move

While Melania Trump and Barron may be staying in New York City, another key Trump family member is reportedly leaving the Big Apple and moving inside the beltway. On Monday, CNN reported that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kusher are Washington D.C.—bound. According to the report, the future first daughter and her husband, both of whom played influential roles during Trump's presidential campaign, will be moving with their three children to the nation's capital.

Update: A spokesperson from the Trump Organization reached out to Bustle after the initial report to say it was not official that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were moving to Washington D.C. The spokesperson said in an email, "While Ivanka has no intention of taking a formal role in the administration, she plans to be an advocate for issues she cares deeply about. The team is working hard on the final stages of vetting the structure that will be put in place in leading the Trump Organization to avoid even the appearance of any conflict of interest. We look forward to providing updates on the corporate structure and other details next week."

The reported move to Washington D.C. suggests that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner may play significant parts in Trump's administration. The two have already been present for a number of key meetings, including Trump's first White House visit as president-elect and his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Trump also said in an interview with the New York Times that he would consider having Kushner work on brokering a Middle East peace agreement, saying of Kushner, "I think he'd be very good at it. I mean he knows it so well. He knows the region, knows the people, knows the players."

However, there are major concerns and potential conflicts of interest should President-elect Trump bring his daughter and son-in-law into the White House fold. For one, there are federal anti-nepotism laws that prevent public officials from hiring family members and even accepting "voluntary services that are not authorized by law, except in emergency situations," the New York Times noted.

Furthermore, Trump has stated that Ivanka and her two brother, Donald Jr. and Eric, will oversee the Trump Organization businesses. Many have criticized this arrangement in and of itself, with the Wall Street Journal editorial board calling on Trump to "liquidate his stake in the company" because "Mixing money and politics could undermine his pledge to “drain the swamp” in Washington."

Having his children play White House roles while overseeing Trump's business interest is ripe for conflicts of interest — and a number of reports have already pointed out potential scandals. While Ivanka Trump was meeting with her father and the Japanese prime minister, her own company was working out a deal with Japanese apparel company, Sanei International, the New York Times reported. And here's where it gets murkier, as the New York Times noted: "The largest shareholder of Sanei’s parent company is the Development Bank of Japan, which is wholly owned by the Japanese government." A spokesperson for Ivanka Trump's company said the deal has been in the works for two years.

A move to Washington D.C. may be harbinger of how significant a role Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner will play in a Trump White House, but considering the family ties and the business entanglement, their life in the beltway won't be without controversy.