Eric Trump Reflects on Donald’s Family Rules and ‘Tough’ Upbringing with Ivana Trump [WATCH]

Eric Trump offered an inside look into his family’s early years and the principles set by his father, President Donald Trump, during a new interview on “Pod Force One,” released Wednesday, as reported by The New York Post.

Speaking with journalist Miranda Devine, Eric discussed the discipline and structure that shaped his upbringing, crediting both his parents — his father for his rules and his late mother, Ivana Trump, for her toughness.

Eric, 41, said President Trump emphasized responsibility from a young age, often sending him to construction sites to work for minimum wage. “His rules were always no drinking, no drugs, no smoking, get good grades, no tattoos, and don’t trust anyone,” Eric said.

“That was pretty much Donald Trump summed up.”

He added that both his parents shared a similar belief about keeping their children busy and grounded. “The other thing my father would not allow — my mother wouldn’t allow it, either — was either excess money or excess time,” Eric explained.

“You give a type-A kid too much time, too much money, bad things are going to happen.”

Before attending Georgetown University, Eric graduated from The Hill School, a private boarding school near Philadelphia, known for producing notable alumni including his brother Donald Trump Jr., filmmaker Oliver Stone, and former Secretary of State James Baker.

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Reflecting on his time there, Eric said, “I didn’t know too many kids that didn’t find their way into rehab. And most of them were plagued by two things: way too much free time and way too much money.”

On this week’s episode of “Pod Force One” with @mirandadevine, Eric Trump shared what it was like growing up with his dad, President Donald Trump, and his late mother, Ivana Trump. Subscribe here: https://t.co/gWolLDjCoN pic.twitter.com/Y5kyQY4XgU

— New York Post (@nypost) November 5, 2025

Eric said his father’s approach to parenting was simple but effective. “You were staying out of the nightclubs, you were staying away from the hard drugs,” he said. “He did it in his own way, but he got it right.”

He also described his late mother Ivana Trump as “as tough as they came.” A former competitive skier and model from Czechoslovakia, Ivana was known for her strength and discipline.

“She was beautiful, she was elegant, and yet if we got this far out of line, you’d have these fake long nails dig into your throat,” Eric recalled. “She always liked to wear her ring inverted… and you’d just get diamonds across the side of your face.”

When asked which parent was the stricter one, Eric said his mother handled discipline directly. “If you had to get through her to go to my father, you were in real deep crap because she had already taken a pound of flesh out of you,” he said.

“That’s probably taboo in today’s culture… but what I will tell you is it worked.”

Eric said his mother’s mix of strength and humor made her unforgettable. “She could be incredibly elegant, but yet she could tell the toughest construction worker to go ‘F’ himself,” he said.

“That was the Communist upbringing, but she could be fun. She could be glamorous. She was an unbelievable athlete.”

Ivana Trump passed away on July 14, 2022, at age 73, after an accidental fall at her Manhattan home. Eric discusses her life and legacy in his new memoir, Under Siege: My Family’s Fight to Save Our Nation. “She suffered with certain ailments, and one of them was she just probably drank too much and that ended her life,” he said. “That was an ugly day. We loved her. She was an amazing woman. She taught us everything.”

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