With his Twitter blast at Nordstrom, President Donald Trump sparked fresh concerns that he and his family are using the Oval Office for personal gain. Trump accused the department store chain on Wednesday of treating his daughter Ivanka "unfairly," prompting its stock to drop briefly before it recovered. The president's tweet came days after Nordstrom said it would not sell his daughter's brand in the upcoming season due to sagging performance.

Trump's tweet pulled him back into a debate over whether he did enough to distance himself from his family's businesses when he took office. The president chose not to divest from the Trump Organization, handing control to his 2 eldest sons and a company executive.

While the Trump Organization said Ivanka Trump stepped down from her roles there, she licenses her name to merchandise manufacturers, who then sell products at stores like Nordstrom and Macy's. It's not clear if she still receives royalties from her clothing licensing.

WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE.    Later Wednesday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer called Nordstrom's move an "attack" on Ivanka Trump based on her father's policies and argued that he should have the ability to defend her. Asked whether Nordstrom's decision matters since Ivanka Trump said she stepped down from her companies, Spicer said it still damages a brand that carries her name.

"I think this was less about the family business than an attack on his daughter," the White House press secretary said.

Trump's Nordstrom attack marks the 2nd time in recent days that the first family has prompted ethics concerns. In filings that are part of a libel lawsuit that first lady Melania Trump filed against the Daily Mail tabloid, her lawyers argue that her position could help her grow her personal brand.

While her attorney said she had no intention of profiting from her standing, she has not stepped down from her brand - e.g., she was still listed on NY filings for companies that managed $15,000 to $50,000 in royalties from her accessories line.