Donald Trump’s granddaughter Kai has been an increasingly familiar sight by his side in his second term in the White House – and people are making the same prediction about the teenager. The 19-year-old professional golfer is the daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and his ex-wife Vanessa, and is the President’s eldest grandchild.
She was with her grandfather at the NBA finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday when he was booed by basketball fans – and her reaction spoke volumes about her relationship with the President. Mr Trump, who claims to be a long-time fan of the New York Knicks, attended the team’s first home NBA Finals clash in 27 years on Monday night – but was met with jeers from the crowd when he was pictured on the jumbotron during the National Anthem.
In a clip of the moment, Kai Trump can be seen standing behind her grandfather, looking entirely unfazed by the boos, and even appears to crack a slight smile as the President salutes the anthem.
She has previously spoken about how her relationship to the President has affected her life. In a clip shared on social media she said: “Fifty per cent of the world doesn’t like me because of my last name.”
She continued: “One time I was out in public and someone literally walked up to me to tell me that my grandpa sucks. I’m like, ‘well, thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to say that’. Like, great, what do you want me to say to that?”
And now observers are speculating the 19-year-old is poised to take the place of another prominent woman in Mr Trump’s life. Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Renee Libby said: “So, serious question: Is Kai Trump the new Ivanka?”
The President’s daughter Ivanka was a familiar face during his first term, acting as a senior adviser to her father, and appearing as a constant figure by his side. But she has taken a back seat during his second spell in the White House, and now some have speculated Kai is set to step up as the most prominent female member of the Trump dynasty, aside from First Lady Melania.
In 2024, the teenager, then aged 17, spoke at the Republican National Convention in support of her grandfather’s re-election bid, in which she described him as “very caring and loving”, and “just a normal grandpa”.
“He gives us candy and soda when our parents aren’t looking,” she said. “He always wants to know how we’re doing in school.”
She added: “He always encourages me to push myself to be the most successful person I can be. Obviously, he sets the bar pretty high, but who knows? Maybe one day I’ll catch him.”
Others have pointed out Kai has even changed her image to one more closely matching Ivanka, dying her naturally brown locks blonde. HuffPost writer Kate Brennan has said blonde hair is a common look among women in the MAGA movement, with the First Lady also appearing to have lightened her hair.
“It’s no secret that in the MAGA orbit, there is no shortage of blond hair,” she said. “The archetype ranges from Ivanka Trump, whose buttery highlights have long been part of her signature look, to Karoline Leavitt, whose icy waves make regular press appearances, and extends to figures like Pam Bondi, Kellyanne Conway and Erika Kirk.”
Other supporters of the President praised Kai Trump. Commenting on a clip of the teenager alongside her grandfather at Madison Square Garden, one X user described her as “poised, present, and part of history”.