First daughter Ashley Biden affirms: 'I will not have a job with the administration'

Newly-appointed United States President Joe Biden's daughter, Ashely Biden, affirmed in an interview on the Today show on Tuesday. Speaking with host and former first daughter Jenna Bush Hager, Biden said she hopes to use the new platform to bring awareness about certain subjects but categorically noted that she would not play a role in her father's administration. She was, without doubt, alluding to Ivanka Trump, former President Donald Trump's daughter, who served as a senior advisor to him as the Director of the Office of Economic Initiatives and Entrepreneurship. The decision to appoint Trump to the position was seen as nepotistic; she attended numerous summits and talks alongside her father while continuing to retain ownership of multiple businesses.

Biden stated she was "just so proud" of her father, but reiterated that she "would not have a job with the administration" when asked about how she sees her role as first daughter play out in the next four years. "I will, however, hopefully, use this platform to advocate for social justice, for mental health, to be involved in community development and revitalization," she said. "I do hope to bring awareness and education to some topics, subjects that are really important." Biden, aged 39, is a social worker, fashion designer, and community advocate. She spent much of her time growing up on Capitol Hill, and later, in the White House as the second daughter when her father served as Vice President for two terms during the years 2008 to 2016.

Her decision to remain outside the administration, though typical protocol for former first ladies, is a notable change from the Trump administration. Trump was heavily involved in her father's tasks as the President. For instance, she participated in talks between her father and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inside the Korean peninsula's demilitarized zone and even attended the 74th United Nations General Assembly to promote her "Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative." As someone who is fiercely under-experienced in the fields of public policy and international relations, this was seen as wildly unethical.

So much so that Democrats from the House of Representatives launched an investigation into how Trump, as well as her husband Jared Kushner (who also served as a senior advisor), were given top-level security clearances after former chief of staff John Kelly announced in 2018 that the President had instructed him to approve Kushner’s security clearance. Kushner's security clearance level was later downgraded. As Joe Biden enters the White House, there is hope that such nepotism will no longer infiltrate the incoming administration.

Granted that President Joe Biden did come under scrutiny, particularly with regard to his son Hunter’s finances and foreign business dealings, much of this was owing to Donald Trump and his supporters' baseless accusations. Biden claimed that while attacks against her family did hurt, she knew the truth about them. She said, "At the end of the day, they may get it wrong, but at least I got it right, you know? At least I know the real deal. I know the type of man my father is, and the woman my mother is, and the man my brother is."