Why Javanka's security clearances were vital to Trump

By Michael D'Antonio
Updated 1057 GMT (1857 HKT) March 9, 2019

Editor's Note: Michael D'Antonio is the author of the book, "Never Enough: Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success," and co-author with Peter Eisner of "The Shadow President: The Truth About Mike Pence." The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author's.

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But as serious as Javanka's flaws may be the President reportedly wanted them to be able to view government secrets and granted them permission to do so.

Why might he have pushed so hard? It's possible that he was simply being stubborn -- or perhaps he understood his own deficiencies.

Like a man who cannot read but tries to hide this truth with bluster and tricks, Trump is a President who doesn't like briefings and covers his ignorance with loud proclamations. Famous for avoiding books and papers longer than a single page, the President needs trusted advisers who are willing to pore over details related to policy and world events, and report to him in terms he can grasp.

Given the President's limited experience and tendency to suspect others, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are well-suited for the job. Ivanka can also fulfill a second, related duty of soothing the commander-in-chief's temper and blunting his impulses.

Ever since she joined the family business after college, Ivanka Trump has tried to be a calm voice in her father's ear. When I interviewed her in 2014, for a biography of her father, she said that she knew how to raise questions in a way that he could tolerate and could sense when it was necessary to gather allies to stand against him. From observation, it seems her trick was to shower him with praise and show him the deference his fragile ego demands.

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