The Atlantic explained how Trump's son-in-law influences policy without holding an official position
Jared Kushner, despite holding no government office, represents the United States in international negotiations and does not file a financial disclosure form. In Washington, Ivanka Trump’s husband is often referred to as a “shadow diplomat.” Although he promised back in 2024 to leave the White House, Kushner continues to combine political activities with his multibillion-dollar business, avoiding the obligation to disclose his income.
This is reported by The Atlantic.
The article notes that over the past 14 months, Kushner has become a key figure in Trump’s foreign policy. He travels the world as a “volunteer.” In February, he participated in negotiations in Geneva ahead of the attack on Iran. Last week, he visited Islamabad with Vice President Vance.
His list of contacts includes Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Benjamin Netanyahu. He negotiates with the Saudis and Middle Eastern leaders. All of this takes place without him holding any official position.
An ethical trap: why Kushner isn’t filing a declaration
The situation with Kushner has drawn sharp criticism from lawyers. The U.S. government has a “special government employee” status. Elon Musk and Corey Lewandowski held this status. It requires disclosing financial information, but Kushner chose a different path.
The White House simply refers to him as a private volunteer. Administration spokesperson Anna Kelly explains it this way:
"Mr. Kushner has generously offered his valuable expertise when asked to do so. He does this as a private citizen, and the entire administration appreciates his willingness to step away from his family and livelihood to help solve complex problems."
Since he is not officially on staff, no conflict-of-interest disclosures are filed. At the same time, his company, Affinity Partners, manages billions of dollars. A significant portion of these funds comes from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Saudi fund.
Business and Politics: A Blurred Line
Kushner himself doesn’t see this as a problem. He considers his connections an asset for the country.
“What people call a conflict of interest, Steve [Witkoff—ed.] and I call the experience and the relationships of trust that we have around the world,” Kushner said on the “60 Minutes” program.
He is convinced that without these relationships, there would be no successful deals, such as the release of hostages in Gaza. However, critics point to Saudi Arabia. In 2021, a Saudi fund invested $2 billion in his company. This happened despite their own conclusion that Kushner’s firm’s performance was “unsatisfactory in all respects.”
The Ethics Crisis in Washington
Democrats are dissatisfied because Trump has effectively paralyzed ethics oversight. He fired most of the inspectors general, replacing them with loyalists.
Donald Sherman, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, notes that Kushner’s role is identical to that of official special envoys. But the requirements for them differ, creating a dangerous precedent.
Trump commented on Orbán’s defeat, calling him a good man.
Trump spoke out for the first time about the attack on Ukraine.
At least two Iranian tankers managed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, likely using a detour route despite U.S. controls.
