Ivanka Trump's purportedly defunct brand just won 16 new trademarks in China, including for voting machines

Ivanka Trump stumps with her father, President Trump — (Image credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

Ivanka Trump shut down her clothing and lifestyle brand in July to focus on whatever it is she does as a White House employee and adviser to her father, President Trump, and maybe also to reduce any conflicts of interest. Well, Ivanka's eponymous brand won trial approval for 16 new trademarks from the Chinese government last month, the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said Monday. "The newest Chinese trademarks cover fashion items including handbags, shoes, wedding dresses, and jewelry," as well as "items including nursing homes, sausage casing, and voting machines."

It isn't clear why the president's daughter might want to trademark voting machines in China, but she applied for the patents in 2016, CREW said, and while her brand is officially defunct, "she retains ownership over all of her existing trademarks, and many of her trademarks will remain active as late as 2028." That means they "remain a potential conflict of interest as she continues to work on policy in the White House and meet with foreign leaders," CREW said. You can read more about the coincidental timing of China's approval of Ivanka's other trademarks while she was in the White House in CREW's report.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.