Who is Jared Kushner? Trump Names Son-In-Law as Senior White House Adviser
Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, will serve as Senior White House adviser under the new Trump administration.
The 35-year-old businessman-turned-political-strategist played a key role in Donald Trump's presidential campaign and is being rewarded for his work with a key role in the President-elect's administration.
"Jared has been a tremendous asset and trusted advisor throughout the campaign and transition and I am proud to have him in a key leadership role in my administration," Trump said in a statement. "He has been incredibly successful, in both business and now politics. He will be an invaluable member of my team as I set and execute an ambitious agenda, putting the American people first."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump's eldest daughter Ivanka Trump, has run Kushner Companies as CEO for the last decade. The family-owned umbrella corporation has a diverse portfolio which includes multiple real estate holdings, a New York media and culture publication (The Observer) and various other investments.
The appointment of the billionaire businessman to a key administrative role has raised questions about potential conflict of interest. The move also led democrats on the House Judiciary Committee to call on the Justice Department and the Office of Government Ethics to review the appointment's legality in light of the anti-nepotism statute, reports CNN.
Kushner played a key role in Trump's election campaign, serving as a point of contact for powerful business interests, foreign governments and other powerful figures. He also wielded considerable power over much of the campaign's strategy and data operation.
However, a week after his father-in-law's election victory, Kushner met with a Chinese business magnate to finalize the purchase of his property on Fifth Avenue in New York -- a deal that has raised ethical concerns among many.
In response to the opposition's disapproval of this appointment as an inherently nepotistic one, Trump's transition officials have expressly stated that Kushner will take all the necessary steps in order to comply with federal ethics laws that apply to government employees.
Jared Kushner will not be taking a salary for his new West Wing job said his lawyer, Jamie S. Gorelick, in a statement to the New York Times. He will also resign as chief executive of Kushner Companies, and though the law does not require it, he will divest "substantial assets" to comply with government ethics rules.
Ivanka Trump too is expected by many to be closely involved in her father's presidential administration. And although she has plans to resign from the Trump Organization and step away from her clothing company, she will be not be taking on a formal administrative government role immediately.
