October 2, 2026 at 1:02pm EDT

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s eldest child, Arabella, is just 15, but she’s quickly becoming an unexpected presence at some of the Trump family’s biggest moments.

On September 24, Arabella made quite the splash at the White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan. She spoke Mandarin and greeted the couple in their native language, “Welcome to America,” according to the New York Post.

This high-profile moment was sort of a coming-out event for the teen who has “started to ask to tag along to things more and more,” per the Daily Mail. “Arabella is only in the spotlight when there are things she actually thinks are cool and wants to go to, like UFC fights, random sporting events and things like that.”

Described as Ivanka’s “mini-me,” Arabella and her mom are both ready to let her shine in the spotlight.

“Ivanka is really protective of her and sees her as sort of a mini-me,” the source said. “She helped dress her for the State Dinner, had a photo shoot with the girls behind the scenes, and is really letting her start to bloom. Ivanka is finally starting to be less hesitant on having her come along to events.”

Arabella’s recent opportunity with the Chinese president isn’t her first encounter. In 2017, during her grandfather Donald Trump’s first administration, she sang for the politician in Mandarin when he visited Mar-a-Lago — she was five years old at the time.

Her lessons began when she was 18 months old after studying with the family’s Chinese nanny and continued throughout her schooling. The Daily Beast called Arabella “her grandfather’s not-so-secret weapon for charming Beijing.”

She’s making her mom proud, too. Ivanka praised her daughter on her 15th birthday in July for being “extraordinary.”

“You amaze me every day with your kindness, curiosity, brilliance, and strength,” her mom wrote in an Instagram caption. “I am endlessly proud of your dedication, your poise, and the way you move through the world with both confidence and compassion. I love you more than words can express. Happy Birthday, Arabella.”

With her growing confidence, Arabella appears increasingly ready to carve out her place within the Trump family spotlight.