Why Insiders Say The Simmering Feud Between Melania And Ivanka Trump Is Heating Up

There has long been talk that Melania Trump's relationship with Ivanka Trump isn't exactly good, and it appears that rumors of their renewed relationship may have just been debunked. Instead of growing closer as stepmother and stepdaughter, Melania and Ivanka's feud is seemingly growing even deeper.

In the early days of Donald Trump's first presidency, Ivanka took over many of the typical first lady responsibilities. She even reportedly requested that the "Office of the First Lady" be updated to be called the "Office of the First Family." Suffice it to say, this apparently felt like an overstep to Melania. Since then, as one source put it, "Ivanka will always be a thorn in her side," per the Daily Mail. Now, nearly a decade has passed, Ivanka has made a seemingly permanent exit from the political world, and Donald's second presidency is underway.

 However, the hatchet is far from buried, and it seems that neither time nor Ivanka's absence from the White House is healing this wound. Melania is reportedly referring to her stepdaughter as "the princess." Interestingly, rather than easing the seemingly competitive dynamic between the two, it appears that Ivanka's step away from the political arena is actually adding new fuel to the fire for Melania.

In a recent interview, Ivanka Trump revealed how she will support her dad's second presidency without being his advisor. "I'm most looking forward to just being able to show up for him as a daughter and be there for him," she explained on The Skinny Confidential podcast (via Daily Mail). This isn't likely to annoy Melania any less than when Ivanka was infringing on her first lady duties, a source explained. "[Melania] is going be irritated because Ivanka is going to just show up at state dinners and stuff," they said. "That's going to be the new battle."

While Melania hasn't spoken openly about the feud, she touched on her relationship with Donald Trump's children in her memoir "Melania." "My role is not to replace [my stepchildren's] mothers but to nurture a supportive and amicable connection," she wrote. "It is essential to remember that each person is deserving of respect and understanding, regardless of disagreements." 

It's worth noting that Ivanka, who is clearly trying to rebrand herself in the eyes of the public, may not be quite as keen on continuing this feud as her stepmother apparently is. At Donald's inauguration, Ivanka reportedly seemed "desperate" to be photographed alongside Melania, per the Daily Mail. Perhaps in Ivanka's eyes, her new role as "daughter to the president" doesn't involve stepping on toes the way being "advisor to the president" did. From the sound of it, though, she'll have no help from her stepmom when it comes to ending this feud.