The content discusses a request made by Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Jamie Raskin for Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel to investigate Jared Kushner for potentially acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The investigation found that Kushner’s firm, Affinity Partners, received over $150 million from foreign clients after Trump’s term ended, with no return on investment. Specifically, $87 million came from the Saudi government, and the company only invested a small fraction of the funds received from sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The letter also mentioned a report alleging Kushner discussed U.S.-Saudi diplomatic negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after leaving the Trump administration.
Kushner responded by stating that there is no conflict of interest, as every decision made during Trump’s presidency was in the best interest of America. He criticized Wyden and Raskin for focusing on political stunts instead of positively impacting people’s lives. Wyden and Raskin allege that Kushner advised bin Salman on U.S. foreign policy, advised Trump on his campaign, arranged meetings with the Qatari prime minister in the U.S., and more—all while being paid by the Saudi government without registering as an agent. Kushner worked as a senior White House advisor to Trump and set up Affinity Partners after Trump left office, raising over $3 billion in capital with about $2 billion coming from the Saudi Public Investment fund.
Wyden has been investigating Kushner’s business deals with foreign governments for years and believes that Kushner may be acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Democrats previously attempted to investigate the $2 billion investment in Kushner’s private firm but faced delays from Republicans. The letter from Wyden and Raskin to Garland suggests that the Saudi government’s engagement with Affinity for investment advice may be a way to funnel money directly to Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump. Kushner had no prior experience in private equity before starting Affinity Partners. The lawmakers believe there is substantial reason to believe that Kushner’s actions may be unethical and call for further investigation into his business dealings with foreign governments.
The content highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding Jared Kushner’s business dealings with foreign governments, particularly the Saudi government. The request for a special counsel to investigate Kushner’s potential role as an unregistered foreign agent sheds light on the ethical concerns surrounding his actions while serving as a senior White House advisor. The letter from Wyden and Raskin to Garland underscores the need for transparency and accountability in government officials’ interactions with foreign entities. Kushner’s response defending his actions and criticizing the lawmakers for their focus on political stunts adds another layer to the ongoing scrutiny of his business dealings. The allegations against Kushner and the call for investigation raise important questions about the influence of foreign entities on U.S. policymakers and the need for thorough oversight to ensure the integrity of government officials.
