Ivanka Trump accepts Angela Merkel’s invitation to attend women’s economic summit

Donald Trump’s eldest daughter has accepted an invitation from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to attend a women’s economic summit.

Just days before Ivanka Trump releases her book, Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success, she is expected to fly to Berlin to join women from other G20 countries and four additional US delegates.

“Looking forward to working together in Berlin next month to promote the role of women in the economy and the future of our workforce globally #W20‬,” Ms Trump wrote on social media.

The so-called W20 summit in late April, now in its third year, will focus on women’s empowerment and Ms Trump, whose travel plans are still being worked out, is expected to look at successful apprenticeship programmes for women.

The conference will also focus on access to finance for business women, closing the gender digital divide and women’s inclusion in the labour force.

Ms Trump, a mother of three who took a step back from her executive position at the Trump Organisation to move to Washington DC, spent time with Ms Merkel while the German leader visited the President. It was an awkward trip for Ms Merkel, as Mr Trump did not shake her hand in front of the cameras in the Oval Office.

She also helped to arrange a meeting, at the request of German officials, between American and German business leaders to talk about vocational training.

It followed a visit from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during which she helped organise a meeting on economic development opportunities for women.

She spoke out about women’s equality in the workplace during the campaign trail and at the Republican National Convention but has not publicly addressed the issue since her father took office.

Ms Trump is not only being viewed as a rising power within the administration and an olive branch to reluctant women voters, helping to craft policies around paid maternity leave, but is also described as a human face to the Trump brand, posting pictures on social media of her family outings.

The 34-year-old has been given an office in the West Wing and security clearance even though she is not a paid, official employee, unlike her husband Jared Kushner who is the President’s senior adviser.

Her lawyer said she would “voluntarily” comply with the government’s ethics rules, raising questions as to whether she would circumvent transparency.