A Trump political dynasty? His son Eric says maybe
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump's second son fuelled speculation on Friday that his family seeks to establish a multi-generational political dynasty, saying he and other relatives may run for public office.
Eric Trump told the Financial Times that a political career would be "an easy one" for family members, as they look beyond President Trump's second term that ends in 2029.
Eric, 41, is a fierce defender of his father on TV networks, while older brother Don Jr. is a key player in the Trump inner circle, using his podcast and social media presence to fire up the president's base.
"The real question is: 'Do you want to drag other members of your family into it?'" Eric Trump said in an interview.
"If the answer was yes, I think the political path would be an easy one, meaning, I think I could do it," he said. "And by the way, I think other members of our family could do it too."
Trump's children and his close family have long been involved in his business life, and have also taken major roles as he moved into politics and took the White House in 2017.
In Trump's first term, his daughter Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner held senior administration posts, though they have retreated from the political frontlines for now.
Eric's wife Lara Trump co-led the national Republican Party during the last election campaign – receiving lavish praise from the candidate – and she now has her own show on Fox News.
Barron Trump, the president's only child with wife Melania, is aged 19, but his father says he is interested in politics and helped him to draw in young male voters via podcasts and TikTok.
Kai Trump, 18, daughter of Don Jr. and ex-wife Vanessa Trump, spoke at last year's Republican National Convention and is a competitive junior golfer.
Eric Trump told the Financial Times he was "wholly unimpressed by half the politicians I see", adding, "I could do it very effectively."
Asked if a Trump would stand for election in future, he replied, "I don't know... Time will tell. But there's more people than just me."
Eric and Don Jr. run the Trump family business, which now includes a growing cryptocurrency portfolio.
Eric Trump denied any conflicts of interest, saying "if there's one family that hasn't profited off politics, it's the Trump family.
"The opportunity cost, the legal cost, the toll it's taken on our family has been astronomical."
The Trumps are widely believed to have taken the monetising of their powerful status to unprecedented levels for US first families.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has agreed to finance a film about Melania Trump, reportedly netting her US$28 million. Other close family are involved in multi-billion-dollar real estate deals abroad, and Don Jr. is launching a Washington club where membership reportedly costs more than US$500,000.
In May, President Trump hosted a dinner at one of his golf clubs for investors in his $TRUMP cryptocurrency, which he launched shortly before reentering the White House. Seats went to investors who bought the most of the currency, with the top 25 holders gaining a private reception with Trump himself.
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