At this point, almost nothing the White House does or says should shock us anymore. Yet each day, something new makes it into our news feeds and timelines that somehow seems to fill us, simultaneously, with surprise, confusion, and rage.
Today’s daily dose of what-the-hell-is-going-on is a joint effort between our president’s twitter feed and whatever it is that comes out of Kellyanne Conway’s mouth. This morning on Fox & Friends, Conway endorsed Ivanka Trump’s clothing line; this comes after reports that certain retailers have announced that they will stop carrying Ivanka Trump’s brand.
“This is just a wonderful line,” Conway said. “I own some of it. I fully — I’m going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online.”
President Trump tweeted last night, condemning Nordstrom for their unfair treatment of his daughter, because a day cannot pass without at least one tweet that makes you question whether or not we are living in an eternal Saturday Night Live skit.
According to New York Magazine, Conway’s endorsement of Ivanka’s brand is a direct violation of federal law. The law states that a federal employee may not “use his public office for his own private gain [or] for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise.”
The Washington Post reported that attorneys have said Conway’s endorsement conflicts directly with the Office of Government Ethics. “I don’t see what their defense is,” Campaign Legal Center general counsel Lawrence Noble told the Post. “She did this on television. She was very clear it was advertising. Hopefully, at the very least, they will acknowledge this is wrong.”
The chances of that are unlikely. Melania Trump is already in the midst of a defamation lawsuit against Mail Media because of false claims they had published in August stating that she worked for an escort service. The damages they are suing for? The defamation has hurt her ability to capitalize on her profile as wife of the POTUS, meaning she feels that, because of this false claim, she will not be able to create a brand large enough to sell “apparel accessories, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, hair care, skincare and fragrance.”
Because, you know, that’s what the First Lady should be worrying about.
If you find yourself thinking (or screaming aloud at your computers and/or televisions), “You’re the President of the United States, what are you doing??” you’re not the only one.
Top photo: Ivanka Trump Shoes And Accessories
More From BUST
Is Melania Trump Trying To Profit Directly From Being First Lady?
The Girlcott: 13 Trump-Related Businesses You Should Stop Supporting
Hillary Clinton Tells Us We’re The Next Generation of Glass Ceiling Breakers