The Independent View: Mnuchin Intervened To Block Ivanka Appointment To World Bank

Former Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, Intervened to Block Ivanka Trump's Appointment to the World Bank, as the Pick "came incredibly close to happening." Trump sought to name Ivanka to Lead the World Bank in 2019

In January 2019, the Physician and Anthropologist, Jim Yong Kim, who had Led the World Bank since 2012, announced he would be Stepping Down from his Role the following month, creating a frenzy to fill the coveted Position. Kim's surprise Departure presented Trump with the Ability to Reshape the Leadership of the World Bank, as the International Financial Organization has traditionally been Led by an American Citizen.

As the White House assembled a List of possible Successors, Ivanka Trump emerged as Trump's Favorit, because "she's very good with numbers."

But in April 2019, Ivanka Trump said she Passed on the Opportunity to Lead the World Bank, noting that she was "happy with the work" she was doing as a Senior Advisor to the President.

While Ivanka didn't assume the Role, she did help Mnuchin and then-White House Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, in Selecting Kim's eventual Successor, David Malpass, who at the time of his Appointment, was the Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs.

However, the Discussion surrounding Ivanka Trump's possible Ascent to the Top of the World Bank, was Not simply from the Washington, DC Rumor Mill. Trump wanted his Daughter in the Role, and Mnuchin had to Step-In to Prevent the Selection.

The World Bank, which was Created in 1944, seeks to Promote Economic Development and Poverty Reduction by "providing technical and financial support to help countries reform certain sectors or implement specific projects" in Areas including Education and Healthcare.

Before her time in the White House, Ivanka Trump was an Executive Vice President of Development and Acquisitions at the Trump Organization. She also had her own Fashion Line including: Clothes, Shoes, Accessories, among other items.

After Trump came to the White House, Ivanka Trump helped Start the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, which was Supported by the World Bank, and was Created to Generate Funding for Female Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries.

In January 2019, then-White House Spokesperson, Jessica Ditto, pointed to Ivanka Trump's Work with the Initiative to Justify the then-First Daughter's possible Elevation to the World Bank. "She's worked closely with the World Bank's leadership for the past two years," Ditto said at the time.

However, she still Lacked the Depth of Financial Experience that previous Leaders brought to the Role. "That's a very thin base to try to establish credibility in this multilateral institution," said Scott Morris, Director of the US Development Policy Program at the Center for Global Development. "It's hard to imagine that she would have been viewed as a credible leader. It would be the worst kind of exercise of US power."

He added: "I have to think as a candidate she would have encountered some resistance. But maybe [the bank's members] would not have wanted to provoke the US president." Morris said that the Near-Appointment could raise Concerns about the continued US Role in Unilaterally Appointing the World Bank's Leadership.

"A growing number of countries don't like this whole arrangement," he said. "For them to hear how close it was to being the US president's daughter probably adds fuel to the fire that the Americans are so cavalier about this."

On December 10th, 2019, New York Closed the Trump Foundation. As part of the Court Settlement, Mandatory Financial Responsibility Training Requirements, for Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, who were Board Members of the Foundation.