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Lara Trump

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Lara Trump
Trump in 2021
Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee
Assumed office
March 8, 2024
Preceded byDrew McKissick
Personal details
Born
Lara Lea Yunaska

(1982-10-12) October 12, 1982 (age 42)
Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
(m. 2014)
Children2
RelativesSee Trump family
EducationNorth Carolina State University (BA)
French Culinary Institute (AA)

Lara Lea Trump (née Yunaska; born October 12, 1982) is an American former television producer who has co-chaired the Republican National Committee since March 2024. She is married to Eric Trump, the third child of former U.S. President Donald Trump. She was the producer and host of Trump Productions' Real News Update and a producer of Inside Edition.[1]

Early life and education

Lara Yunaska was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, on October 12, 1982, to Linda Ann Sykes and Robert Luke Yunaska. She has a younger brother, Kyle Robert Yunaska.[2] She attended Emsley A. Laney High School.[3] Trump graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from North Carolina State University[4] and also studied at the French Culinary Institute, in New York.[5]

Career

Trump was a story coordinator and producer for the TV news magazine Inside Edition from 2012 to 2016.[5][6] On March 29, 2021, she joined Fox News as a contributor.[7][8]

In December 2022, Fox News announced that—because its policy is not to employ anyone running for office or involved with a candidate—it had parted ways with Lara Trump, whose father in-law, Donald Trump, had recently declared his reelection bid.[9]

Donald Trump presidential campaigns

During Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, she spearheaded the Trump-Pence Women's Empowerment Tour and served as the Trump Tower liaison for Brad Parscale's Giles-Parscale company.[10][11][12] After her father-in-law was elected president, she became an online producer and fundraiser for him.[5][6][13]

In April 2019, she described German chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to accept refugees during the European migrant crisis of 2015 as "the downfall of Germany; it was one of the worst things that ever happened to Germany."[14][15]

She was a senior consultant to Parscale for Trump's reelection campaign in 2020.[11][16] The campaign paid her $180,000 a year through Parscale's private company, Parscale Strategy. Lara Trump was a surrogate on the stump and took on broad advisory roles.[17][18] She also campaigned with far-right activist and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer.[19][20]

She was among the speakers at the "Save America" rally that preceded the January 6 United States Capitol attack alongside Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr..[21]

Potential Senate campaign

After Lara Trump's father-in-law left office in 2021, it was widely rumored that she would run for the United States Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Richard Burr.[22][23][24] However, after several months of media speculation, she declined to run and endorsed the eventual winner, U.S. Representative Ted Budd.[25]

Co-chair of the Republican National Committee

On February 12, 2024, Lara Trump was endorsed by her father-in-law for the Republican National Committee's co-chair, alongside North Carolina Republican Party leader Michael Whatley for chair.[26] Within a week, she declared that if she were to become co-chair, then "every single penny will go to the number one and the only job of the RNC — that is electing Donald J. Trump as president of the United States and saving this country."[27]

On March 8, 2024, Lara Trump was elected co-chair of the RNC by a unanimous vote.[28]

Music

In 2023, Trump released a cover of Tom Petty's song "I Won't Back Down". It debuted at #10 on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart and #6 on Billboard's Country Digital Song Sales Chart.[29][30][31] She began creating her own music in 2024. Her singing has received heavy criticism, with many critics considering her to be untalented.[32][33][34][35]

Personal life

Lara and Eric Trump in 2016

On November 8, 2014, after a six-year relationship, Lara Yunaska married Eric Trump in a ceremony at Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach, Florida, estate of Eric's father, Donald Trump.[5][36] On September 12, 2017, the couple's first child was born.[37] On August 19, 2019, Lara gave birth to the couple's second child.[38]

References

  1. ^ Hyde, Marina (August 3, 2017). "Move over Sean Hannity, meet Lara Trump – the president keeps the propaganda in the family". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on April 15, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  2. ^ "Eric Trump's brother-in-law has been named chief of staff of an Energy Department office". Newsweek. November 8, 2017. Archived from the original on May 16, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  3. ^ Leyva, Hannah (September 2, 2016). "Wrightsville Beach native Lara Trump loves coming home to campaign for father-in-law Donald Trump". Port City Daily. Archived from the original on May 14, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  4. ^ "North Carolina State University 2005 Fall Graduation" (PDF). North Carolina State University. December 14, 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020. Lara Lea Yunaska*; (* = Cum Laude/Honors)
  5. ^ a b c d Miller, Gregory E. "Who Is Lara Trump? 10 Things to Know About the President's Daughter-in-Law". Town & Country. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Hallemann, Caroline; Dangremond, Sam (March 14, 2018). "11 Things to Know About Donald Trump's Daughters-in-Law". Town and Country Magazine. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  7. ^ Weprin, Alex (March 29, 2021). "Fox News Hires Lara Trump". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  8. ^ Barr, Jeremy (March 29, 2021). "Fox News hires the former president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as a pundit". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  9. ^ Steinberg, Brian (December 3, 2022). "Fox News Parts Ways With Contributor Lara Trump". Variety. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  10. ^ Glueck, Katie (September 10, 2016). "Trump takes aim at Clinton's lead among women". Politico. Archived from the original on November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  11. ^ a b Glueck, Katie (June 7, 2017). "The face of Donald Trump's 2020 campaign". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  12. ^ Horwitz, Jeff (February 27, 2018). "Trump campaign chief lends name to penny stock tied to felon". Associated Press News. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  13. ^ Williams, Garet (August 2, 2017). "Trump now has a "real news" program on his Facebook, hosted by his daughter-in-law". Vox. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  14. ^ Frazin, Rachel (April 25, 2019). "Lara Trump: Merkel admitting migrants 'one of the worst things that ever happened to Germany'". The Hill. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  15. ^ Baragona, Justin (April 25, 2019). "Lara Trump: Refugees 'One of the Worst Things to Ever Happen to Germany'". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on March 13, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  16. ^ Bykowicz, Julie (March 29, 2017). "Lara Trump Hired By Trump Campaign's Digital Vendor". Bloomberg News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  17. ^ Hakim, Danny; Thrush, Glenn (March 9, 2020). "How the Trump Campaign Took Over the G.O.P." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 31, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  18. ^ Date, S. V. (April 17, 2020). "Trump Campaign Secretly Paying $180,000 A Year To His Sons' Significant Others". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  19. ^ Behrmann, Savannah (September 2, 2020). "Lara Trump campaigned with far-right candidate and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  20. ^ Sales, Ben (September 3, 2020). "Lara Trump campaigns with Jewish anti-Muslim activist Laura Loomer". Haaretz. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Archived from the original on September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  21. ^ Graziosi, Graig (January 6, 2021). "Trump's sons declare war on GOP". The Independent. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  22. ^ Karni, Annie (November 19, 2020). "Will Lara Trump Be the Next Trump on a Ballot?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  23. ^ Choi, Matthew; Isenstadt, Alex; Arkin, James (November 19, 2020). "Lara Trump considers run for Senate in North Carolina". POLITICO. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  24. ^ James Walker (March 29, 2021). "Lara Trump Confirms She is Eyeing Senate Seat, Promises Announcement 'Very Soon'". Newsweek. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  25. ^ Polus, Sarah (June 5, 2021). "Lara Trump on Senate bid: 'No for now, not no forever'". The Hill. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  26. ^ Jaramillo, Alejandra; Holmes, Kristen (February 12, 2024). "Trump endorses Whatley to succeed Ronna McDaniel as RNC chair and Lara Trump as co-chair". CNN. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  27. ^ Shabad, Rebecca; Dean, Sarah (February 14, 2024). "Nikki Haley suggests Trump is aiming to 'take' the election by promoting his daughter-in-law for RNC leadership". NBC News. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  28. ^ Jackson, David (March 8, 2024). "Donald Trump's Republican Party elects new leadership - including Lara Trump". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  29. ^ McIntyre, Hugh (October 11, 2023). "Donald Trump's Daughter-In-Law Charts Her First Top 10 Hit On A Billboard Chart". Forbes. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  30. ^ "Digital Song Sales". billboard. October 14, 2023.
  31. ^ "billboard COUNTRY DIGITAL SONG SALES" (PDF). billboard Country Update. October 9, 2023. p. 8.
  32. ^ "Lara Trump mocked for singing her 'shadow-banned' song on TV: 'Please don't'". The Independent. October 6, 2023. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  33. ^ "Lara Trump continues quest for musical stardom with song honoring firefighters". The Independent. September 2, 2024. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  34. ^ Mier, Tomás (September 2, 2024). "Lara Trump Is Still Trying to Make Her Music Career Happen". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  35. ^ Alexander, Harriet (September 3, 2024). "Lara Trump mocked for 'abominable' music video". The Times. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  36. ^ Rivera, Zayda (November 9, 2014). "Eric Trump marries Lara Yunaska in Palm Beach wedding". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  37. ^ "Eric and Lara Trump Welcome Son Eric". PEOPLE.com. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  38. ^ Murphy, Helen (August 20, 2019). "Eric and Wife Lara Trump Welcome Second Child, President Donald Trump's 10th Grandchild". People. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.