Malia Obama is just trying to live her life like any other college freshman — which yes, sometimes includes romantic relationships and partying. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple when you’re a former first daughter.
As the Washington Post reports, tabloids and conservative news outlets were abuzz earlier this week after videos and photos surfaced Malia Obama kissing a possible new beau, British Harvard student Rory Farquharson, at the Harvard-Yale game, and blowing smoke rings at a party. While these wouldn’t be newsworthy activities for literally any other Harvard student, both stories went viral, prompting two other first daughters to come to publicly her defense and stick up for her in an amazing way.
Surprisingly, the first to do so was current first daughter Ivanka Trump, who tweeted on Friday afternoon, “Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits.”
Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 24, 2017
Shortly after, Chelsea Clinton followed suit with a similar message for the media: leave Malia alone.
Malia Obama’s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better.
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) November 24, 2017
Traditionally, the media has typically left children of presidents and former presidents out of the spotlight and given them some privacy. While Barack Obama was still in the White House, the former POTUS had previously asked the media to not cover the activities of the Obama daughters when they were without their parents and there was, “no vital news interest,” CBS News notes.
“From the beginning of the administration, the White House has asked news outlets not to report on or photograph the Obama children when they are not with their parents and there is no vital news interest,” a 2013 statement from the White House said after images were published of Malia’s spring break trip to Mexico. “We have reminded outlets of this request in order to protect the privacy and security of these girls.”
The bottom line: Can we please all just let poor Malia live?