Ivanka Trump is set to introduce her father, Donald Trump, Thursday before he accepts the Republican nomination for president, in a move that is aimed at increasing his appeal to women.
Ivanka Trump, 34, is a businesswoman who both works in her father's company and runs her own fashion line. She has been a business associate of her father for nearly a decade.
Trump, named for her Czech mother Ivana (Ivanka is the diminutive form of the name) was educated in top-tier private schools in the United States. She has a degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business, where her father also is an alum.
Ivanka Trump has said she has counseled her father on his public image and does not always agree with his choices. She told CNN on Wednesday that she and her father "have such a good relationship because he respects me, and because I'm candid in my opinions, and I share them, solicited or otherwise."
She said he does not always listen.
Her speech Thursday is expected to target women, a weak spot in Donald Trump's support base. Only 34 percent of women support Trump in the election, according to a recent poll by ABC News and the Washington Post.
But Ivanka Trump, with her polished persona as a former model, businesswoman, wife and mother of three young children, will try to convince female voters that her father does not deserve to be called a racist or bigot, as his critics have charged. She says that, as she was growing up, her father took delight in his family and took pains to stay in touch with them.
"He wasn't always physically present, but he was always available," by telephone in particular, she said.
She also said she has learned from him that she must love her work to be a success at it. Her recent work includes managing a line of mid-priced shoes and handbags, appearing as a guest on her father's former show The Apprentice, and publishing a book of professional advice.
Ivanka Trump also has a history with Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton. Ivanka and Chelsea have been seen together at social events in New York City, and socializing as a foursome with their husbands. Some reports say the two women have cooled their friendship for the moment, as their parents compete for the most powerful office in the nation.
