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By Hannah Parry
Associate News Editor
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Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's eldest daughter, has been blasted online after sharing a video of her 15-year-old daughter, Arabella, horseback riding on a beach during a luxury family vacation as gas prices hit a record high.
The clip shows Arabella riding along the shoreline at sunset as Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” plays. Ivanka captioned the post “Camera roll summer 2026,” alongside a series of images from the family’s lavish summer travels.
The post quickly sparked backlash, with critics accusing Ivanka of being out of touch with the financial pressures facing ordinary Americans.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press office appeared to join the pile-on, responding to the video with a blunt “OK” alongside a screenshot about record-high Labor Day gas prices.
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The criticism has also come from the right.
MAGA journalist Eric Spracklen compared, “Americans: $4 a gallon gas is killing me” with the “Trumps:” above the video.
Other critics have compared the post to a modern-day “let them eat cake” moment, arguing that the vacation is particularly jarring amid economic pressures facing many Americans.
Newsweek has reached out to Trump and Newsom for comment.
The comments come as the national average gas price soared to a record $4.15 a gallon for Labor Day, according to a AAA report.
Ivanka and Arabella were previously spotted horseback riding together during a family vacation in Costa Rica last month.
Kai Trump's Luxury Dorm Adds to Trump Family Wealth Backlash
The backlash also comes as Ivanka's niece, Kai Trump, daughter of Donald Trump Jr., has been showing off her own lavish new college accommodations in Miami.
The 19-year-old, who recently began her freshman year at the University of Miami, gave viewers an inside look at her new apartment, which includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious living area, a modern kitchen and a walk-in closet.
The timing prompted comparisons between the two Trump family posts, with conservative podcaster Melissa Witte pointing to what she saw as a striking contrast between the family's social media displays and the financial pressures facing ordinary Americans.
“Americans: We can’t afford gas, food or tuition,” Witte wrote. “Trump family: here’s a video of Kai’s luxury dorm, Ivanka riding a horse and we’re also gonna rename both New Mexico and Lake Ontario ‘America.’”
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Gas Prices Hit Record High Under Trump
The criticism comes as Americans face record-high Labor Day gas prices.
The national average for regular gasoline reached around $4.14-$4.15 a gallon, according to AAA, eclipsing the previous Labor Day record of $3.82 set in 2012.
The surge has become a political headache for Trump, who campaigned on bringing down energy costs. Reuters reported ahead of Labor Day that the elevated prices were creating a political challenge for Trump, with the increase largely linked to the Iran war, disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and other global supply pressures.
President Trump has repeatedly promised Americans that prices will come down. In a recent Truth Social post, he wrote that oil prices would “drop precipitously” when the U.S. “WIN[s] the war with Iran,” predicting gasoline would first fall to $3 a gallon and eventually drop below $2.
“While gasoline demand typically declines after the summer driving season—often leading to lower prices—this year’s elevated crude oil costs have offset that seasonal trend,” AAA spokesperson Brittany Moye said Monday.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Dave Siminoff.
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