RantCrush Top 5: July 10, 2017

When President Trump left a meeting with Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Angela Merkel, and Theresa May at the G-20 Summit this weekend, he let his daughter Ivanka have his seat. The move was immediately criticized given that Ivanka recently said she’s trying to stay out of politics and she doesn’t have any experience with foreign relations. Some Democrats were critical of Ivanka sitting in on the meetings, saying that she knows nothing of the issues being discussed and that it’s “completely inappropriate.” Historian Anne Applebaum was not happy that “an unelected, unqualified, unprepared New York socialite” would be considered the best representative of U.S. interests. But this morning, Trump took to Twitter to defend his decision:

When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

He then said, “If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!” But Chelsea Clinton had an answer:

Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not. https://t.co/4ODjWZUp0c

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) July 10, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.