Princess Ivanka has decided to close down her “fashion brand.” Her explanation is that she owes it to her Important Work.

In a statement, Ms. Trump characterized the move as being driven by a commitment to the work she is doing as part of her father’s administration.

“After 17 months in Washington, I do not know when or if I will ever return to the business,” Ms. Trump said, “but I do know that my focus for the foreseeable future will be the work I am doing here in Washington, so making this decision now is the only fair outcome for my team and partners.”

The “work” she is doing – what work? What work can she do? She has no relevant education or training or experience. She got her “job” through blatant nepotism, contrary to a law against exactly that, and there’s no reason on earth to think she’s competent to do it. It’s all their big stupid game of let’s pretend, and it’s annoying. It’s also corrupt, of course, but even putting that aside the pretentiousness coupled with the emptiness is annoying.

Ms. Trump’s decision comes as the Trump administration threatens to escalate its trade dispute with China, where many of her products are manufactured.

MAGA notwithstanding.

Since Mr. Trump was elected president, members of his family have faced continuing criticism that they were exploiting his position to promote their personal interests.

No, really?

Almost since the moment Ms. Trump arrived in Washington, there were questions about whether she and her father’s advisers might be using her new prominence to advance her business interests.

Shortly after the election, people working on behalf of Ms. Trump’s brand promoted a $10,800 bracelet she wore during an interview broadcast on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” prompting accusations that the Trump family planned to treat the White House as something like the cable shopping network QVC.

Trump himself is merrily promoting his golf clubs while on duty.

In a statement on Tuesday, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, a Washington group that has been especially vocal in questioning what it called the Trump family’s blurring of business interests and government work, offered muted approval for Ms. Trump’s move.

“While this is a notable step in the right direction, it’s a small one that comes much too late,” the statement said, adding that Ms. Trump had “reportedly realized that there were too many potential conflicts of interest to avoid, something many observers warned about from the beginning.”

It’s almost as if in addition to being untrained for government work she’s also not very bright.