Ivanka Trump may have an office in the White House, but like her father, President Trump, she still has a brand to develop.
The First Daughter and unpaid, high-level White House “adviser” on Tuesday received preliminary approval for another U.S. trademark covering a stylized version of her initials for use on a full range of hardware accessories and jewelry.
This trademark follows three others Trump’s holding company Ivanka Trump Marks LLC has won preliminary approval on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since mid-May, all of which were applied for in late December, about two months after her father won the presidency.
The three other marks are aiming to register Trump’s first name, her full name and her full name with a symbol of calligraphed initials encircled in pink. If given final approval, the marks will cover all manner of apparel, accessories, and intimate wear, from lingerie to capes.
A White House spokesman referred an inquiry regarding the trademarks to outside representatives for the Ivanka Trump brand.
Of the trademarks, brand president Abigail Klem said: “These and other filings in other countries are made in the normal course of business for any company in these categories.”
“The brand has filed, updated, and rigorously protected its international trademarks over the past several years in the normal course of business, especially in regions where trademark infringement is rampant,” Kelm went on. “We have recently seen a surge in trademark filings by unrelated third parties trying to capitalize on the name and it is our responsibility to diligently protect our trademark.”
About two months ago, on the same day she dined with Chinese president Xi Jinping, Trump received approval for three new trademarks in China covering jewelry, accessories and spa services. Her father similarly in March won preliminary approval to put his name on everything from retail shops to vending machines in the country.
At the time, a spokeswoman for the Trump Organization said the president’s Chinese trademarks, which he holds as an individual and not through his organization, are the result of “long-standing, diligent efforts” around intellectual property enforcement.
The Trump Organization maintains all of the president’s various business interests and is currently being overseen by his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump.
While the White House has consistently defended Ivanka Trump against cries of ethical violations by saying she’s complying with all rules and regulations applicable to her position, it hasn’t done much to quell concerns among Washington D.C.’s Democratic lawmakers.
Last week, 17 Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee pushed Ivanka Trump Operations for more details on its dealings with foreign countries and Trump’s involvement with the company, which operates her namesake brand, founded by Trump in 2007.
The committee members said they have received only “vague” responses to a previous inquiry about possible conflicts of interest they made to White House counsel Donald McGahn and Ivanka Trump Operations president Abigail Klem.
In a June 12 letter to Klem, the committee members said they “remain concerned that Ivanka Trump may have used and may continue to use her official position within the White House to benefit her private interests” and asked her to provide “additional clarification” on the matter.
Trump’s brand, according to its executives, saw “significant” growth in 2016, a year in which Trump frequently stumped for her father’s campaign, leading it to expand across all categories.
The committee members noted in the letter to Kelm that Trump’s company applied for 14 trademark applications in China one day before the First Daughter officially joined the White House, but that by taking on such a position, she’s prohibited under federal law from participating in dealings that may affect her personal financial interests.
They went on to point out that although Tump resigned from her operations company in January, such a move “does not diminish Ms. Trump’s private interest in her company, or in any way mitigate her obligations under federal law.”
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