White House defends Ivanka Trump for breaking coronavirus travel rules to retreat to New Jersey estate

The White House on Thursday defended the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, after she broke CDC guidelines and traveled across state lines to attend a Passover event.

The New York Timesfirst reported that Ivanka Trump "has not followed the federal guidelines advising against discretionary travel, leaving Washington for another one of her family’s homes, even as she has publicly thanked people for self-quarantining."

"Ms. Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, who is also a senior White House adviser, traveled with their three children to the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey to celebrate the first night of Passover this month, according to two people with knowledge of their travel plans, even as seders across the country were canceled and families gathered remotely over apps like Zoom," the Times said.

Although the White House initially declined to comment, the communications office later defended the president's daughter.

"Ivanka, with her immediate family - celebrated Passover at a closed down facility considered to be a family home. Her travel was no different than had she been traveling to/from work and the location was less populated than the surrounding area near her home in D.C.," the White House said in a statement to CNN's Betsy Klein.

“While at Bedminster she has been practicing social distancing and working remotely," the statement added. "Her travel was not commercial. She chose to spend a holiday in private with her family.”

CNN's Kate Bennett noted that members of the Secret Service also traveled with Ivanka Trump and her family.

"Traveling to Bedminster also requires travel by Jared and Ivanka's Secret Service details, many of whom I would presume also have families who are concerned about the virus. USSS declined to comment to @CNN," Bennett explained.