Trump Jnr turns his Indian ‘foreign affairs’ speech into a ‘fireside chat’ after outcry

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The eldest son of US President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jnr, speaks at a global business summit in New Delhi, India, on Friday. He had originally planned to discuss ‘foreign policy’ until an outcry led to a change in plans. Photo: AP

Published: 6:18am, 24 Feb 2018Updated: 6:18am, 24 Feb 2018

Donald Trump Jnr backed off a planned speech on regional affairs Friday, opting instead for a cosy “fireside chat” on pressures of work and family amid questions over possible conflicts on a trip to promote Trump properties.

The US president’s son arrived in India earlier this week for a contractually obliged trip to promote his family’s branded real-estate projects, but controversy seemed to dog him at every turn.

Critics wondered why he was giving a foreign policy speech on a private business trip and slammed a high-profile advertisement campaign offering conversation and dinner with Trump real estate buyers as influence peddling.

After the speech subject was hastily switched Friday, Trump Jnr sat before a video-projected fireplace and spoke of such safe topics as his father’s stressful job, his sister Ivanka and the potential for India’s real estate market.

Donald Trump Jnr speaks with the managing director of McKinsey & Company, Dominic Barton (centre) and CEO of Uber Dara Khosrowshahi (second from left) during a global business summit in New Delhi, India, on Friday. Photo: AP

Trump Jnr, 40, the executive vice-president of the Trump Organization, said the family has voluntarily decided to stop pursing new deals in India after his father was elected president – a business decision he described as “unfortunate.”

“It is difficult. It’s tough as a businessman but it’s fully understandable,” he said, vowing to get back into deal making the Indian market “when we’re out of politics.”