Here’s a closer look at how the Trump family operates behind the scenes.
Eric Trump is lifting the curtain on what it was really like growing up in one of America’s most talked-about families — and the lessons that shaped President Donald Trump’s children into the fighters they are today.
Appearing on Pod Force One with The Post’s Miranda Devine, the 41-year-old son of the president shared never-before-heard stories about his parents’ strict household, his mother Ivana’s no-nonsense discipline, and the timeless family values that built the Trump legacy.
🔨 Trump Family Rules: Discipline, Work, and Patriotism
Eric Trump said his father believed in learning from the ground up — not from privilege. “Dad handed me a hard hat and told me to work construction for minimum wage,” Eric recalled. “His rules were simple: no drinking, no drugs, no smoking, no tattoos, and always get good grades.”
President Trump, he explained, didn’t believe in giving kids too much free time or easy money. “You give a type-A kid too much of either, bad things happen,” Eric said. “My father understood that better than anyone.”
Before attending Georgetown University, Eric attended The Hill School outside Philadelphia — a boarding school also attended by his brother Don Jr. and former Secretary of State James Baker. “A lot of wealthy kids ended up in rehab,” Eric noted. “Dad’s formula kept us out of trouble — and it worked.”
💎 Ivana Trump: Glamorous, Fierce, and Fearless
Eric also paid tribute to his late mother, Ivana Trump — the glamorous model and former ski champion who helped raise the Trump children with a mix of love, class, and iron discipline.
“She was as tough as they come,” Eric said. “If you got out of line, she’d grab you with those long nails — and you knew you’d messed up. It might sound harsh by today’s standards, but it worked.”
Ivana, he added, was “a combination of Lindsey Vonn, Claudia Schiffer, and Joan Rivers — beautiful, athletic, and completely unfiltered.” She could tell off a rough construction worker one minute and dazzle at a black-tie event the next. “That was her magic — elegant, fearless, and never afraid to speak her mind.”
🕊️ A Painful Loss and a Lasting Legacy
Ivana Trump passed away in July 2022 after a tragic fall in her New York home. In his new memoir, Under Siege: My Family’s Fight to Save Our Nation, Eric Trump reflects on her strength, her flaws, and her unmatched influence.
“She probably drank too much toward the end,” he admitted, “but she was an amazing mother — she taught us everything. We loved her deeply.”
Eric’s memories reveal a side of the Trump family many Americans never see — not privilege, but purpose. His parents demanded hard work, personal accountability, and strength — the same values that define the America his father fought to restore.
🇺🇸 Why It Matters
In a time when traditional values are under attack, Eric Trump’s story is a powerful reminder that America’s greatest families were built on discipline, faith, and responsibility — not handouts and excuses.
The Trump family’s success isn’t luck. It’s the result of grit, love of country, and the belief that hard work and God-given purpose still matter.