Jared Kushner’s future in the White House remains unsettled, following news that the President’s senior advisor no longer maintains his top-security clearance. The decision came after John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, announced that he is outlining new security clearance procedures following the resignation of former staff secretary Rob Porter, amid spousal abuse allegations. Positioned as a secondary effect of the procedural change, Democrats have long concluded that Kushner and wife Ivanka Trump are unnecessary fixtures in the president’s cabinet. However the events leading up to the restriction of Kushner’s powers have ensued long before a number of troubling headlines, including those questioning their competency. The most recent of which is speculation around Kushner’s supposed business transactions in the Middle East and China, hinting that Kushner is still unable to sever ties with his real estate past .
Reports allege Kushner used government funded trips to secure development deals overseas under the pretense of facilitating foreign policy on behalf of the president. Kushner also allegedly used governmental resources and his continuance in a federal office to serve his private real estate and contracting firm Kushner Companies. In the spring of 2017, Kushner met at the White House with Citigroup’s chief executive Michael Corbat. In March, Citigroup made a loan of $325M to Kushner companies. This follows similar events, after Kushner met with Michael Corbat of Apollo Global Management which resulted in a $184M loan in November of last year.
It is reported that Kushner stepped down as CEO of his family-owned real estate firm Kushner Companies, and that Ivanka no longer heads her self-titled clothing and fashion line due to her newfound interest in business affairs, in conjunction with plummeting sales since her father’s 2016 election. Still there has yet to be any confirmation from the couple concerning the recent nepotism allegations, or if their stay at the White House will be cut short due to Kelly’s clearance crackdown.
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