Ivanka Trump thanks Martin Luther King Jr. for 'continuing to inspire us'
Ivanka Trump was the first in her family to post a tribute to the civil rights leader on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The first daughter and presidential adviser posted an iconic photo of Martin Luther King Jr. waving to a huge crowd at the 1963 March on Washington, thanking him for inspiring the nation and persisting in the face of adversity.
She posted the same photo to her Instagram Story on Monday morning.
Thank you Dr. King for continuing to inspire us with your vision for a more perfect nation, persistence in the face of adversity and steadfast belief in the power of love. #MLKDay pic.twitter.com/QtJQmtFtxa
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) January 21, 2019
A few minutes later, first lady Melania Trump recognized the national holiday on Twitter.
Today we honor the life and legacy of #MartinLutherKingJr #MLKDay
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) January 21, 2019
The White House released its presidential proclamation a few days before the holiday, officially recognizing Jan. 21 as the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday.
“Today, as we pause to mark the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we recommit ourselves to the advancement of equality and justice for all Americans, and to the full realization of his worthy dream,” it read.
However, Vice President Mike Pence was criticized over the weekend for comparing President Trump to Martin Luther King Jr. while defending the president’s plan for a border wall.
“You think of how he changed America. He inspired us to change through the legislative process, to become a more perfect union,” Pence said on CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday. “That’s exactly what President Trump is calling on Congress to do.”
Pence invoking Martin Luther King Jr. is grotesque. Pence cheerleads for his boss, a bigot who literally praised people who were marching alongside the KKK and Neo-Nazis. The stain of Charlottesville is precisely what MLK Jr. tried to remove from America. Trump defended it.
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) January 21, 2019
While some also called out Ivanka for posting about Martin Luther King Jr.’s “belief in the power of love” while working for the Trump administration, others appreciated her message. “Dr King would not like seeing how so many people are against one another in this time and age,” one commenter wrote.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Ivanka Trump shares a sweet message for husband Jared Kushner’s birthday
Trump family celebrates Eric turning 35: ‘Happy birthday to the best little brother in the world’
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