Ivanka reportedly used Steven Mnuchin to borrow Air Force planes, and Stephen Colbert feels for him
The newest splashy book taking an inside look at President Trump's White House focuses on his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, both top White House advisers. "It's called Kushner Inc. — Inc., of course, standing for incompetent," Stephen Colbert quipped on Wednesday's Late Show. And if you're wondering what Ivanka and Jared do with their days, well, a lot of them are spent on the road, and they reportedly like to travel in taxpayer-funded style.
According to the book, "Jared and Ivanka wanted to use all the privileges of the White House, but ran up against restrictions on using Air Force planes," Colbert said. Author Vicky Ward writes that Ivanka "often requested to travel on Air Force planes when it was not appropriate. When Rex W. Tillerson, the former secretary of state, would deny the requests, the couple would invite along a Cabinet secretary, often Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to get access to a plane." Colbert grimaced. "Oh, I feel for Mnuchin here. He's like that weird kid you befriend just because he has a pool." He acted that out.
Ward also reported that Trump ordered Chief of Staff John Kelly to fire Jared and Ivanka and "get them back to New York" — "To which everyone in New York said, 'Quick, turn off the lights and pretend we're not home!'" Colbert joked — and that Ivanka insisted to economic adviser Gary Cohn after her father refused to condemn white supremacists in Charlottesville that "my dad's not a racist; he didn't mean any of it," and "that's not what he said." That sounded familiar to Colbert: "Wow, she's flat-out denying her father said the thing her father said on tape. I guess the Tim Apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Long summer days in Iceland's highlands
The Week Recommends While many parts of this volcanic island are barren, there is a 'desolate beauty' to be found in every corner
By The Week UK Published
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?
Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
By The Week UK Published
-
5 deliciously funny cartoons about turkeys
Cartoons Artists take on pardons, executions, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published