If you were expecting to see Ivanka Trump behind a podium in the West Wing this year, you’ve probably noticed a very conspicuous absence. The high-heeled strides through the halls of power have been replaced by something else entirely. Miami surf. Brazilian jiu-jitsu mats. And, surprisingly, a lot of talk about "ugly" carrots.
While her father, Donald Trump, has returned to the presidency for a second term, Ivanka has fundamentally shifted her orbit. She isn’t just "taking a break." She’s actively rebranding. For those wondering what is Ivanka Trump doing these days, the answer is a strange mix of high-stakes international philanthropy, private sector "profit-for-purpose" business, and a very deliberate, very public commitment to a "politics-free" life.
It’s a pivot that has left a lot of people scratching their heads. Some see it as a savvy survival move to protect her brand; others see it as a genuine retreat into motherhood and "wellness."
The Billionaire Bunker and the Life of a Florida "Mom"
Most of Ivanka’s daily life now anchors around Indian Creek Island, the ultra-exclusive "Billionaire Bunker" in Miami. It’s a far cry from the gray, high-pressure atmosphere of D.C.
Honestly, her social media lately looks more like a high-end lifestyle blog than a political feed. She spent the final days of 2025 sharing a list of 17 books that "shaped" her year. We’re talking heavy hitters like Bertrand Russell’s A History of Western Philosophy mixed with Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act. She’s leaning hard into the "intellectual seeker" vibe.
She’s also been training with the Valente Brothers in North Miami, showing off sparring skills in jiu-jitsu. It’s part of a broader "wellness" pivot that includes wakeboarding, skiing in the mountains for Christmas, and practicing modern stoicism.
Family Over Everything (Officially)
She’s been very blunt about why she isn’t in the White House this time around. In a late 2025 appearance on the Him & Her podcast, she basically said the price of politics was too high for her three kids—Arabella, Joseph, and Theodore—to bear.
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- Arabella: Ivanka has been sharing moments of them reading The Odyssey together.
- The Boys: Often seen in matching outfits on ski trips or helping her at public events.
She’s playing the role of the "stabilizing" daughter from a distance, choosing to offer her father "emotional support" rather than policy memos.
The Pivot to Planet Harvest and Food Waste
You might have missed it, but Ivanka is now a food waste entrepreneur. She co-founded a company called Planet Harvest with her friend Melissa Ackerman.
The goal? To "reimagine the food supply chain." Basically, the company takes surplus produce—the stuff that usually gets tossed because it looks a bit weird—and redirects it to food banks or turns it into consumer goods. She’s been popping up at places like the Heartland Summit in Arkansas and the Think Health Summit to talk about "food as medicine."
It hasn’t been all smooth sailing, though. Critics have called her "tone-deaf" for promoting a private-sector food solution while her father’s administration oversees cuts to federal food programs like SNAP. It’s a classic Ivanka paradox: trying to solve a systemic problem through a luxury-branded, "profit-for-purpose" lens.
The Global Stage: FIFA and Beyond
Just because she isn’t in the Cabinet doesn’t mean she’s staying local. Ivanka recently joined the board of a $100 million FIFA education project.
This initiative is part-funded by 2026 World Cup ticket sales. She’s sitting on an advisory board alongside names like Serena Williams, Shakira, and Hugh Jackman. It’s a clever move. It keeps her name attached to massive, positive global brands while keeping her at arm's length from the more polarizing aspects of the current U.S. administration.
Real Estate and the Albanian Connection
While she’s "out" of politics, she’s still very much "in" the family business of high-end development. She and Jared Kushner have been working on a massive $1.4 billion redevelopment project on Sazan Island in Albania.
Locals already call it "Trump Island." It’s a luxury eco-resort play. This project, partnered with Jared’s firm Affinity Partners, shows that her "retirement" from the public eye doesn’t mean a retirement from building massive, controversial, and potentially lucrative empires.
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What People Get Wrong About Her "Absence"
There is a common misconception that Ivanka has been "exiled" or that there’s a rift. If you look at her 2026 New Year’s post, her father is all over it. They’re still close.
She’s just changed the way she exerts influence.
- Informal Advising: Sources suggest she still talks to her father frequently, acting as a sounding board without the paper trail of an official title.
- The "Soft" Power Play: By focusing on charity (FIFA) and health (Planet Harvest), she is cleaning up a brand that got scorched during the first term.
- The Long Game: She’s only in her early 40s. A decade of "billionaire mom" and "philanthropist" activities makes a future political run—perhaps on her own terms—look a lot more viable than if she had stayed in the trenches for Term 2.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Story
If you want to keep tabs on what she's actually doing without the filter of political pundits, here’s how to look at it:
- Watch the Boards: Her role on the FIFA board is a major indicator of her global standing. Watch for her at World Cup 2026 events.
- Monitor Planet Harvest: If this company goes national or partners with major retailers, it marks her successful transition from "first daughter" to "lifestyle mogul."
- Follow the Real Estate: The Albania project is the "big" money move. Its progress (or lack thereof) will tell you a lot about the Kushner-Trump financial future.
Ivanka Trump is currently playing a very disciplined game of distance. She’s trading the "West Wing" title for "Global Citizen" and "Health Advocate," all while living a curated, sun-drenched life in Florida. It’s a total rebrand, and so far, she’s sticking to the script.