Everything you need to know about Ivanka Trump, the daughter of the US president, who gets up at 5 a.m. and leads a “normal” life with three children
The businesswoman, one of the five children of the 47th US president, was raised with her mother’s firm discipline. Now that she’s a mother, she once revealed how she balances her career with spending time with her children.
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Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald and Ivana Trump, is a mother of three. She has reflected on her upbringing and the 5 a.m. routine that defines her approach to motherhood. Her commitment to structuring her day demonstrates the values instilled in her during her formative years.
Ivana and Donald Trump pose at a formal event on November 6, 1982 | Source: Getty Images
Ivanka’s parents married in April 1977 and welcomed their first child, Donald Jr., that same year. Ivanka, who once clarified that her name is the Czech diminutive of “Ivana,” was born in 1981. Her younger brother, Eric, arrived in 1984, completing the family. Together, the siblings grew up in a household where discipline and ambition were cornerstones of their upbringing.
Ivanka’s childhood was defined by a mix of structure and varied experiences, guided largely by her mother, a Czechoslovakian model who passed away in July 2022. “She was very much my cultural influence,” Ivanka shared during an interview, adding that her mother was also a disciplinarian, sometimes spanking her in public.
“I guess it was the usual stuff. I once broke a chandelier with a beach ball. That wasn’t right. And then I blamed my brother,” recalled the New Yorker, whose parents divorced in December 1990.
Ivanka’s disciplined yet dynamic upbringing carried over seamlessly into her adolescence, which brought its own challenges and opportunities. Although she wasn’t a rebellious child, she admitted to having her moments.
“I think my mother threatened to give me up for adoption several times,” she recounted in another interview. At 15, Ivanka moved to Choate Rosemary Hall, an elite boarding school in Connecticut.
Ivana and Ivanka Trump at the “Momentum – A Taste for Life” AIDS gourmet benefit on October 19, 1995 | Source: Getty Images
“Suddenly, I was in the prison of boarding school life, and all my New York friends were having fun,” she revealed. Furthermore, her mother insisted she pay her own phone bills. During her teens, she turned to modeling as a change of pace and a way to make money, collaborating with renowned designers like Versace and Thierry Mugler. Ivanka also appeared on the cover of “Seventeen” magazine.
Despite these accomplishments, she considered modeling a temporary endeavor rather than a career. “I didn’t particularly enjoy the work itself. It’s as cutthroat an industry as real estate—the people you meet in that business are just as tough,” she noted.
Ivanka Trump in Vogue magazine on February 1, 1995 | Source: Getty Images
For Ivanka, the experience was more about exploring new opportunities and breaking away from routine. While she values what modeling brought to her life, she feels limited by the lasting impression it left. “That’s how I’m remembered, and I want to be a little more serious than that,” she admitted.
Ivanka Trump at Donald Trump’s 50th birthday party on June 13, 1996 | Source: Getty Images
Ivanka’s early modeling career, though formative, was only a small part of her life, shaped by ambition and privilege. Growing up, her lavender bedroom on the 68th floor of Trump Tower overlooked Central Park.
Ivanka Trump photographed backstage before a fashion show on April 1, 1997 | Source: Getty Images
The family also enjoyed an opulent lifestyle that included a 50-room triplex, a 45-room oceanfront estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, and the iconic Mar-a-Lago mansion in Palm Beach. At Mar-a-Lago, her personal bathroom—one of 33—was adorned with tiles hand-painted by Walt Disney.
Ivanka Trump attends the HBO presentation at the Television Critics Association on July 10, 2003 | Source: Getty Images
Reflecting on her aspirations, she recalled, “From my earliest cognitive thought, I wanted to be a builder,” a passion that was quickly awakened amidst such grandiose surroundings. During high school, Ivanka imagined shaping New York’s skyline after seeing a space where a tower could stand.
Ivanka Trump during “The Paris Review Foundation Presents Fall Revel Honoring William Styron” on November 10, 2004, in New York. | Source: Getty Images
After graduating with honors in economics from the Wharton School, she briefly worked for property developer Bruce Ratner before joining the family business. Although initially reluctant, Ivanka appeared on “The Apprentice” explaining, “For ‘Trump’ to be sustainable, it can’t just be about my father. It has to be about us as a family.”
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Ivanka Trump during the American Museum of Natural History’s Annual Winter Ball on February 17, 2005, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
Her decision to accept public roles such as “The Apprentice” coincided with her broader vision of contributing to the Trump family legacy. Around the same time, her personal life took an equally significant turn.
Ivanka Trump during the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s Young Collectors Council Artists’ Ball on December 14, 2006, in New York. | Source: Getty Images
In 2007, she met investor Jared Kushner at a business lunch orchestrated by mutual friends who assumed their connection would be purely professional. “Every time we see them, we say to each other, ‘Best deal we’ve ever made!'” the businesswoman said.
Ivanka Trump at the Stuff magazine fall issue preview on August 14, 2007, in New York. | Source: Getty Images
After dating for two years, the couple married in October 2009 in a grand wedding attended by 500 guests at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. To the surprise of many, Ivanka converted to Judaism, adopting the Orthodox faith of the Kushner family.
Ivanka and Jared’s union fused two ambitious, real-estate-focused families. Both Ivy League graduates who excelled in their parents’ businesses, the couple quickly became a power couple.
Jared’s bold moves, such as purchasing The New York Observer in 2006 for nearly $10 million, impressed Ivanka, who admired his calm, solution-oriented nature. “The world could be crumbling around him, and nothing fazes him,” she said. “I feel so lucky to have met such a great guy from New Jersey.”
The couple welcomed their first child, Arabella Kushner, in July 2011, and Ivanka announced on X: “This morning @jaredkushner and I welcomed a beautiful, healthy baby girl into the world.”
In October 2013, their second daughter was born, and Ivanka shared the news on Instagram, writing, “We lovingly welcome our son, Joseph Frederick Kushner. Check out Tumblr for some pics!” Their family grew to five in March 2016, when Ivanka introduced her youngest child on Facebook: “Baby Theodore. My heart is full.”
As a mother of three and a dedicated professional, Ivanka has carefully crafted a routine to balance her responsibilities. She starts her day at 5:00 a.m., devoting the first few hours to her children.
“I want my kids to see me first every morning, so I get up at 5:00 a.m. and make sure they shower and exercise before they get up,” she revealed in an interview. The doting mother, who turned 43 in October 2024, remains committed to being there for her family, while also making them breakfast.
Around 6:30 or 7:00 a.m., she switches to work mode. “That’s my quiet time, when I answer emails and return phone calls or leave messages,” she explained in another interview. Much of her work involves international business, so waking up early allows her to connect with Europe and Asia.
Her schedule is packed with meetings and calls until around 6 p.m., leaving little room for breaks. A friend of the Kushner family once noted, “They’re settling into normal life and enjoying it,” underscoring her focus on creating stability.
Ivanka’s ability to balance her family and career is matched by the enduring strength of her relationship with Jared, which has grown over the years.
On their 14th anniversary in October 2023, Ivanka celebrated the milestone on Instagram, writing, “Celebrating 14 years (!!!) of love, laughter, wild trips, and endless adventures with my bra, Jared! I am so thankful for this beautiful life and family we have built together.”
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s journey as a couple reflects their shared ambition, their deep partnership, and their commitment to family. From their early days in public service to building a life centered around their children and each other, they have remained a steadfast team through every chapter of their lives.