President-elect Donald J. Trump is considering formally turning over the operational responsibility for his real estate company to his two adult sons, but he intends to keep a stake in the business and resist calls to divest, according to several people briefed on the discussions. Under a plan now being considered by the Trump family and its lawyers, Ivanka Trump, Mr. Trump's elder daughter, would also take a leave of absence from the Trump Organization, in the surest sign that she is exploring a potential move to Washington with her husband, Jared Kushner. Mr. Kushner is discussing an as-yet undetermined role advising his father-in-law, and Ms. Trump plans on being an advocate on issues in which she has a personal interest, like child care. Before deciding how to separate from her father's business, Ms. Trump is also assessing how to disentangle from her apparel and licensing brands, which are named for her, two people briefed on her plans said. She plans on appointing a president of her company to run the day-to-day operations. More from the New York Times:

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Jared Kushner, Cast as Potential Player onIsrael, Is Little Known There The Trumps are exploring what was described by one person briefed on the discussions as a "legal structure" that would give Mr. Trump and his daughter separation from the company. The New York Times spoke to two people involved in the transition process who were granted anonymity to speak candidly about continuing negotiations. None of the plans have been completed, and it remains uncertain precisely what the president-elect will reveal next week at an expected news conference at which he has said he will discuss "leaving my great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country." Aides to Ms. Trump and to Mr. Trump's transition team declined to comment.

In announcing on Twitter last week that he would hold a news conference, Mr. Trump acknowledged that leaving his business was "visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses."

Still, the Trump family is facing enormous external pressure to do as much as it can to ensure a bright line between the president-elect's business brand and his role leading the country. And any arrangement in which Mr. Trump derives a financial interest in his business could add to criticism about potential conflicts that could arise from the Trump Organization's global ties. The Office of Government Ethics has told Mr. Trump's lawyers that only a divestiture would resolve ethical concerns, guidance that was made publicin an extraordinary stream of posts on the office's Twitter feed. Officials with the office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the plan under consideration. The federal law that prevents federal employees from making decisions involving their financial interests exempts the president and vice president, though no recent sitting president has maintained foreign financial holdings as extensive as Mr. Trump's. At a meeting with The Times last month, Mr. Trump pointed out the absence of laws governing conflicts of interest for a sitting president. "The law's totally on my side, the president can't have a conflict of interest," Mr. Trump said, defending his decision to remain attached to his business, even with a loosened grip. He said then that he preferred to turn it over to his children, with his elder daughter taking the lead. Some on the transition team have privately expressed concern over how foreign and domestic interests could seek to curry influence with the president by doing business with his adult sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, that ultimately accrues to Mr. Trump's financial benefit.

At least part of Mr. Trump's reluctance to sell off his holdings stems from tax liability concerns, according to a person briefed on the plan. Government officials can defer capital gains taxes on assets they sell to avoid conflicts, providing they reinvest the money in government securities or certain approved mutual funds. But the bill comes due if those assets are sold after a person leaves office.

