Ivanka Trump defends paid leave plan for new parents in surprise letter to Wall Street Journal

First Daughter argues programme represents 'an investment in America's working families'

Ivanka Trump (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)

First Daughter Ivanka Trump is defending a White House proposal to mandate paid leave for new parents in a letter to the editor published Wednesday in The Wall Street Journal.

The paper had previously criticised the Trump administration plan “as bad policy and worse politics” that would increase taxes on business. The plan would be funded through unemployment insurance.

But Ivanka Trump says in a response that: “Providing a national guaranteed paid-leave programme - with a reasonable time limit and benefit cap - isn’t an entitlement, it’s an investment in America’s working families.”

Ivanka Trump has met with Democratic and Republican lawmakers on the issue. The programme has limited GOP backing, but more modest tax policies could be included in a Republican tax overhaul effort.

Associated Press