Eric Trump: “Nepotism is Kind of a Factor of Life.”

By Gabrielle Seunagal

First Son Eric Trump sat down with Forbes magazine for an interview in which he discussed the controversial subject of nepotism. During the interview, Trump stated that nepotism is “kind of a factor of life” and noted that nepotism does not sustain an individual if they fail to perform admirably. Trump and his brother, Donald Trump Jr., are currently in charge of the affluent Trump Organization. Although the First Son’s comments engendered headlines and inevitable controversy, his analysis is correct.
 
Nepotism is an innate part of life. It is only natural for one to favor their relatives and friends and place them in positions of employment and power, if they are able to do so. Nepotism is not inherently negative either; as long as one is able to perform their duties satisfactorily, they should maintain their status, even if it was granted by a relative or friend. During the interview, the First Son affirmed that he and his siblings would not be in their current positions if they were not competent. The First Family has a considerable amount of control over their business, but Trump asserted that the same situation would not have applied four or eight years ago. He and his brothers “earned their stripes” which is why they hold their current spots.
 

Eric Trump Offers Surprisingly Candid Thoughts On Nepotism t.co/o0Ellr9dkt

— Forbes (@Forbes) April 4, 2017

 
Moreover, Eric Trump revealed that his father expects people to perform admirably and if they fail to do so, he “encourages them to go on their way.” He and his siblings do not let the President down which is why they are so close to him. While nepotism plays a role in the success of the Trump children, it is not the only factor. Nepotism is merely a stepping stone; hard work and excellence is what sustains the Trump family, just like anyone else. Every American does not have the opportunity to benefit from nepotism, but that does not make the practice immoral.
 
Nepotism does not determine whether or not one succeeds or fails in life; hard work does. One can have all the privileges in the world, but if they squander them or fail to take matters seriously, they will not prosper. Likewise, an individual who does not benefit from nepotism still has every opportunity to rise up if they are willing to work for it. Eric Trump’s commentary was accurate; nepotism is a factor of life, but it is not the defining factor. Before people become irate from his remarks, they would do well to remember that each individual is responsible for their success, or lack thereof.