Although Tiffany Trump spent most of her childhood apart from Donald Trump, she has seemingly worked hard to develop a relationship with him as an adult. Tiffany, the only child from Donald’s scandalous marriage to Marla Maples, wastes no opportunity to praise her dad, often highlighting his strengths as a father. “Thank you for your constant love, guidance and for always believing in me!” she captioned a 2020 Instagram post. However, some signs suggest their bond isn’t as tight as she tries to portray. 

Despite the signs, she continues to show up for him. According to Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a New York neuropsychologist and the director of Comprehend the Mind, in an exclusive analysis for Nicki Swift, her loyalty to Donald may have different roots. “A mix of family loyalty, social expectations, and personal motivations could motivate Tiffany Trump’s decision to remain by her father’s side,” she said. Donald wasn’t a big part of Tiffany’s life until 2016, when she joined him on the campaign trail, but Dr. Hafeez reasons that Tiffany likely maintains “the desire to have a good relationship with him.”

Her attempts to get closer to her father worked, but they didn’t last. “They always had a strained relationship her whole life, and it got exacerbated by the presidency,” a source told People. While the reasons are unclear, Donald’s former personal assistant, Madeleine Westerhout, claimed he avoided being photographed with Tiffany because he had issues with her weight, Politico reported in 2019. He denied it. “I love Tiffany,” he said. Tiffany’s relationship with Donald hasn’t been simple — and it most likely took a toll on her.

Tiffany Trump’s relationship with Donald Trump doesn’t seem to have improved ahead of his second electoral victory. That became clear at the Republican National Convention in July 2024. A viral video of their interaction showed the then-candidate apparently snubbing her as she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, heightening old speculation that Ivanka Trump is Donald’s favorite daughter. After all, Ivanka has always been more involved in her father’s life, even working as his personal adviser. 

Regardless of whether it’s true, that public perception is enough to cause issues for Tiffany. “Being constantly compared to her sister in the media may have caused Tiffany to feel less recognized or validated,” Dr. Sanam Hafeez told Nicki Swift. But Tiffany continues to sing her father’s praises. Being a member of a high-profile family, Tiffany may feel a sense of duty. “She might feel obligated to protect her family’s reputation because of her responsibilities despite the complex nature of her father-daughter relationship,” she explained.

Others have noted how Tiffany’s last name may have impacted her self-worth. “She had a lot of pressure from her family and people’s perceptions of her,” a source told Business Insider in 2020. But even if Tiffany’s relationship with Donald remains strained, that doesn’t mean they can’t still work on it. “Tiffany can adjust her behavior by learning about her parents’ expectations and finding ways to authentically express her true self within those boundaries,” Hafeez said.