Calling Ivanka Trump a “natural diplomat,” President Donald Trump argued that “she would’ve been great at the United Nations” but indicated that public scrutiny held him back from nominating her to the post. | Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images White House Trump says he mulled nominating daughter Ivanka for World Bank president

President Donald Trump considered nominating his oldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, to lead the World Bank, according to an interview published Friday in which he also talked up his daughter’s future presidential bona fides.

In an interview with The Atlantic, the president showered praise over all of his children, noting that his oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., a frequent fixture at political rallies, had really enjoyed his foray into politics, as has son Eric Trump.


But the president was especially complimentary of a Trump child who has mostly stayed quiet about her political ambitions: Ivanka Trump. He even confirmed he’d considered picking her for a post in his administration.

Calling Ivanka Trump a “natural diplomat,” Donald Trump argued that “she would’ve been great at the United Nations” but indicated that public scrutiny held him back.

“If I did, they’d say, 'Nepotism' — when it would’ve had nothing to do with nepotism. But she would’ve been incredible,” he said.

Trump confirmed he had seriously considered nominating his eldest daughter for a vacancy leading the World Bank, a rumor that drew backlash from the president’s opponents.

“I even thought of Ivanka for the World Bank,” the president said, noting “she would’ve been great at that because she’s very good with numbers.”

Ivanka Trump, a senior adviser to her father, has long been the subject of intense interest from outside the White House. When she joined the White House, some cast her as a moderating force on the president’s more impulsive, hard-right leaning nature, suggesting she could pull her father to the center on issues like climate change and LGBTQ rights.

Her portfolio now focuses on issues like workforce development, family leave and women's empowerment. But she has appeared on the world stage before, notably sitting in for her father once at the G-20 Summit and meeting with foreign dignitaries after the abrupt firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last year.

The president ended up nominating Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs David Malpass to head the World Bank instead, and he was unanimously confirmed to the job last week.

But Trump still asserted that if his daughter ever had the ambition, she could follow in his footsteps and mount her own presidential run.

“If she ever wanted to run for president, I think she’d be very, very hard to beat,” Trump said.

“She’s got a great calmness. … I’ve seen her under tremendous stress and pressure. She reacts very well — that’s usually a genetic thing, but it’s one of those things, nevertheless," he said, adding, “she’s got a tremendous presence when she walks into the room.”