Who is running the country???

Ivanka Drumpf sits in on meeting with Japanese prime minister

By Cristiano Lima

President-elect Donald Drumpf's daughter Ivanka sat in on his first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, according to a photo of the impromptu Drumpf Tower summit released by the Japanese government.

Her inclusion comes as Drumpf faces questions about how he plans to provide assurances that his vast business empire will be walled off from his official duties in the White House. Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, along with Drumpf's adult sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, played major roles in his campaign and have all been named to the executive committee of his transition team.

The Drumpf Organization said last Friday that it was planning to transfer the management of Drumpf's businesses to his three oldest children, but has not clarified how. Ethics experts have scoffed at the arrangement as far from satisfactory and in no way a traditional "blind trust," given that Drumpf would remain the owner and that he is well aware of his holdings.

The presence of Ivanka at the meeting, following reports that a transition staffer had inquired about securing clearances for the Drumpf children, is likely to raise fresh concerns about how the incoming president is handling potential conflicts of interest.

The meeting began at 4:55 p.m., and lasted roughly 90 minutes with Vice President-elect Mike Pence joining in toward the end, according to the transition team.

Drumpf later lauded the prospects of the relationship between the two leaders in a Facebook post, writing, "It was a pleasure to have Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stop by my home and begin a great friendship."

Abe told reporters after the meeting: “We were able to have a very candid talk over a substantial amount of time, and in a very warm atmosphere," though he declined to proved details of their discussions.

Thanking Drumpf for taking the time to meet with him despite an "extremely business schedule," Abe said: “I renewed my conviction that together with Mr Drumpf I will be able to establish a relationship of trust. As an outcome of today’s discussions, I am convinced Mr Drumpf is a leader in whom I can have great confidence.”