Ivanka Trump was importing 50 tonnes of Chinese clothing as her father was saying 'buy American'

More than 50 tonnes of Ivanka Trump-branded clothing was imported into the US as her father told the country “we will... buy American and hire American”, it has emerged.

At least 82 shipments also reportedly passed through US customs from China between the election on 8 November and 26 February.

The investigation by news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) also revealed more than two tonnes in ladies’ polyester woven blouses, 1,600 cowhide leather wallets and 23 tonnes in footwear entered the country during this period.

Analysis last July found not one of 25 different Trump-branded clothing items at New York City’s flagship Macy’s store were made in the US but mostly in China and Vietnam.

During Mr Trump’s inauguration speech at Capitol Hill on 20 January he said: “We will follow two simple rules; buy American and hire American.”

As well as talking of “American carnage”, he castigated domestic and foreign manufacturers for using overseas labour.

But AFP claims to have seen US customs bills that prove his eldest daughter’s company is still buying thousands of items from China, including 53.5 tonnes that were steaming towards American ports during the speech.

The goods were made in China by three US companies which hold Ivanka Trump licences, including G-Ill, Mondani Handbags and Marc Fisher Footwear.

Marc Fisher told AFP it had no comment and others did not respond to requests.

Apparently more than 1,200 shipments of Trump-branded products have flowed into the US from China and Hong Kong over the past decade.

G-Ill reportedly sold $29.4m of the goods in 2015 and sales in the first nine months of 2016 were up $13.3m, according to the firm’s public filings.

The 70-year-old property mogul, who frustrated China by talking to Taiwan’s president and saying the US will protect interests in the South China Sea, has previously accused the Asian country of stealing US jobs and being behind the 'hoax' of climate change.

The latest news also follows a spike in the sales of Ivanka Trump clothing after White House advisor Kellyanne Conway plugged her lines on Fox & Friends.

This is despite Nordstrom dropping all her products, following the Grab Your Wallet campaign, which press secretary Sean Spicer called a “direct attack” on the president’s policies.