Ivanka Trump
The 24-year-old vice president of her father Donald’s real-estate empire is perfectly comfortable getting primped, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t rather be back at Trump headquarters, strategizing how to shape the skylines of New York, Chicago and beyond. The tycoon-in-training spoke with us about everything from her dad to drunk debutantes—then it was back to conquering the world.
STUFF: You started appearing on The Apprentice last season. Whose idea was it for you to get involved?
IVANKA: My father and creator Mark Burnett had both asked me at various times over the past two years, but I thought it was really important to understand how the person we hire would ultimately fit into the fabric of the company, so I wanted to make sure I had worked there for a substantial period of time before I joined the show.
What has been the most eye-opening part so far?
Before I joined the show, I wasn’t sympathetic to the contestants; but now, whenever I see their breakdowns, I understand. They go virtually 24 hours a day, and each task takes about three days. Unless they win, they don’t get a day off, and the next challenge starts the following day. So at the very least, one out of every two nights, they don’t get any sleep. It’s an incredible amount of work.
Were you surprised by the recent public spat your father had with Martha Stewart over her comments about the failure of her version of The Apprentice?
No. I know my father very well, and when I heard her comments I knew exactly how he would respond. He is extremely loyal to his friends, but he is tougher than anyone if he feels betrayed. He had done everything for her—the talk-show circuit, interviews, appearing on her shows—and then she made comments that appeared ungrateful. She didn’t take responsibility for her show’s failure. That upset him, and he responded. He’s always said, “If someone comes at you, go at them 100 times harder,” and that’s what he does.
See her video!
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