Ivanka Trump made Passover trip to Bedminster — White House says it was OK

The White House is defending a Passover trip by President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, to the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster despite stay-at-home orders in both New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

The New York Times was first to report that Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner and their three children arrived at the club to celebrate the first night of Passover on April 8.

"Ivanka — with her immediate family — celebrated Passover at a closed down facility considered to be a family home. Her travel was no different than if had she been traveling to/from work and the location was less populated than the surrounding area near her home in D.C.,” the White House said in a statement released to the media including USA Today.

The statement said the family has practiced social distancing while in Bedminster, and she was working remotely.

"Her travel was not commercial. She chose to spend a holiday in private with her family," read the statement.

The White House has issued guidelines urging all discretionary travel be avoided. Both Washington, D.C. and New Jersey have emergency orders in effect directing people to stay at home except as needed for essential travel — such as to a job that's deemed essential in the shutdowns, or for needed supplies such as groceries.

Gov. Phil Murphy earlier this month pleaded with New Jersey residents to stay home Passover, Easter and Ramadan, encouraging those observing the holidays to gather virtually through video calls or other remote communication if they could.

Ivanka Trump's trip came after she posted a video on her Twitter account encouraging people to practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, after President Trump's COVID-19 task force extended its guidance on stay-at-home orders to April 30.

"This will be an enormous challenge for all of us individually and collectively but those lucky enough to be in a position to stay at home please, please do so," Ivanka Trump said in the video.

Ivanka and Jared Kushner live in the Kalorama Heights section of Washington, D.C.

While in Bedminster on Easter, Sunday Ivanka Trump posted a picture on her Twttter account with her daughter Arabella wearing a face covering in support of CDC guidance to wear them when out in public during the pandemic.

President Trump has spent time at the Bedminster club on several occasions as president, including for extended summer stays — although Trump has refuted press reports that described those trips as "vacations."

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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