Ivanka Trump contradicts father Donald by saying whistleblower identity ‘not particularly relevant’

Ivanka Trump has defended her father as the Ukraine scandal intensifies: AP
Ivanka Trump has defended her father as the Ukraine scandal intensifies: AP

Ivanka Trump has dismissed speculation over the identity of the whistleblower who sparked the impeachment inquiry into her father, even though the president himself has called for the person to be named.

Donald Trump has repeatedly urged the media to publicly name the whistleblower who complained about his conduct on a phone call to the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this year.

Thought to be a member of the intelligence services, since they

Others have subsequently testified that Mr Trump threatened to withhold military aid to the Ukraine unless an investigation was launched into his Democratic rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

Ms Trump has now suggested the person’s identity was “not particularly relevant” to the scandal.

“The whistleblower shouldn’t be a substantive part of the conversation,” the 38-year-old said, adding that the person “did not have firsthand information” of the call.

Their identity was “not particularly relevant aside from what the motivation behind all of this was", she added.

Ms Trump’s comments came after her brother, Donald Trump Jr, named the whistleblower on Twitter.

Her position also differs from her father, who has repeatedly attacked the person on social media.​

Ms Trump said she believed the impeachment inquiry aimed to overturn the 2016 election result.

“Basically since the election this has been the experience that our administration and our family has been having,” she said. “Rather than wait, under a year, until the people can decide for themselves based on his record and based on his accomplishments, this new effort has, has commenced. But to us, it’s really been like this from the beginning."

The president’s daughter also compared her father to Abraham Lincoln - who led the US through the civil war and abolished slavery.

“Abraham Lincoln was famously, even within his own Cabinet, surrounded by people who were former political adversaries,” said Ms Trump, who serves as a senior presidential advisor, despite little prior experience in politics.

Her position in the White House has attracted accusations of nepotism.

She said she believed her father was helping all Americans.

“I think Americans are prospering like never before,” she added.

Additional reporting by agencies

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