Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump acknowledged Tuesday that his daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump did use private email during the start of the administration, but declined to acknowledge any hypocrisy over his criticism during the 2016 campaign of Hillary Clinton's similar practice.

"Just so you understand, early and for a little period of time, Ivanka did some emails," Trump told reporters on the South Lawn.

Ivanka Trump last year used a personal email account to discuss or relay official White House business, according to emails released by a nonpartisan watchdog group.

The Washington Post reported Monday the White House conducted an investigation into Ivanka Trump's email usage and that she used her personal email address for much of 2017.

According to emails released by the watchdog group, American Oversight, the President's daughter used her personal account to email Cabinet officials, White House aides and assistants. The Presidential Records Act requires all official White House communications and records be preserved. Her legal team has said she "almost always" used her personal email to work out scheduling issues related to her family.

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